tat

¹ American  

[tat] / tæt /

verb (used with or without object)

tatted, tatting

1. to do tatting, or make (knotted lace) by tatting.

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tat ² American  

[tat] / tæt /

noun

1. a pattern, words, or piece of art inked indelibly into the skin by making punctures in it and inserting pigments; tattoo.

   She was normally proud of her tats, but she wore long-sleeved blouses to cover them while interviewing for elementary school teaching positions.

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verb (used with or without object)

tatted, tatting

1. to mark (the skin) with tattoos, or put (tattoos) on the skin (often followed byup ).

   I want to get really tatted up, but I’m planning each piece carefully and taking my time—you only get one canvas for this art.

TAT ³ American  

abbreviation

Psychology.

1. Thematic Apperception Test.

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tat ¹ British  

/ tæt /

noun

1. tatty articles or a tatty condition

2. tasteless articles

3. a tangled mass

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tat ² British  

/ tæt /

verb

1. to make (something) by tatting

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tat ³ British  

/ tæt /

noun

1. short for tattoo 2

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tat ⁴ British  

/ tæt /

noun

1. See tit for tat

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tat Idioms  

1. see tit for tat.

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Etymology

Origin of tat¹

First recorded in 1900–05; back formation from tatting

Origin of tat²

First recorded in 1980–85; shortening of tattoo ² ( def. )

Explanation

To tat is to make lace. Tatting involves making loops and tying knots in a long piece of thread over and over again. Most of the lace made today is created with a machine, and the ability to tat, or make lace by hand, is rare. Tatting requires a lot of silk or cotton thread and either a metal disc called a "shuttle," needles, or a crochet hook. You may also find tat used as a noun to mean "cheap, tasteless stuff," or informally to mean "tattoo," as in "Hey, I love the new tat on your shoulder."

Example Sentences

In this tit for tat, though, California’s threats to respond have thus far proved ineffectual.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2025

It's a tit for tat, following fresh U.S. curbs on chip exports.

From Reuters • Oct. 20, 2023

Tit for tat is the coin of the congressional realm.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2023

There is private shock here that Germany went public with this and a desire not to be drawn into a diplomatic tit for tat over it.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2023

And he never stopped hearing those British battle drums, that ghostly RAT, tat, tat, tat, tat.

From I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis

Related Words

• knit