tar

¹

[ tahr ]

noun

1. any of various dark-colored viscid products obtained by the destructive distillation of certain organic substances, as coal or wood.
2. coal-tar pitch.
3. smoke solids or components:

   cigarette tar.

verb (used with object)

, tarred, tar·ring.

1. to smear or cover with or as if with tar.

adjective

1. of or characteristic of tar.
2. covered or smeared with tar; tarred.

tar

²

[ tahr ]

noun

, Informal: Older Use.

1. a sailor.

   Synonyms: gob, seafarer

tar

¹

/ tɑː /

noun

1. an informal word for seaman

tar

²

/ tɑː /

noun

1. any of various dark viscid substances obtained by the destructive distillation of organic matter such as coal, wood, or peat
2. another name for coal tar

verb

1. to coat with tar
2. tar and feather
   to punish by smearing tar and feathers over (someone)
3. tarred with the same brush
   regarded as having the same faults

tar

/ tär /

1. A dark, oily, viscous material, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons, produced by the destructive distillation of organic substances such as wood, coal, or peat.
2. See coal tar
3. A solid, sticky substance that remains when tobacco is burned. It accumulates in the lungs of smokers and is considered carcinogenic.

Derived Forms

• ˈtarriness, noun
• ˈtarry, adjective

Other Words From

• non·tarred adjective
• un·tarred adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tar¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun ter, terr(e), Old English teru, teoru, taru; cognate with Dutch, German teer, Old Norse tjara; akin to tree; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of tar²

First recorded in 1670–80; perhaps short for tarpaulin

Word History and Origins

Origin of tar¹

C17: short for tarpaulin

Origin of tar²

Old English teoru; related to Old Frisian tera, Old Norse tjara, Middle Low German tere tar, Gothic triu tree

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. beat / knock / whale the tar out of, Informal. to beat mercilessly:

   The thief had knocked the tar out of the old man and left him for dead.

2. tar and feather,
   1. to coat (a person) with tar and feathers as a punishment or humiliation.
   2. to punish severely:

      She should be tarred and feathered for what she has done.

3. tarred with the same brush, possessing the same shortcomings or guilty of the same misdeeds:

   The whole family is tarred with the same brush.

More idioms and phrases containing tar

In addition to the idiom beginning with tar , also see beat the living daylights (tar) out of .

Synonym Study

See sailor.

Example Sentences

Initially believed to be tar balls, they were in fact a "disgusting" combination of human faeces, cooking oil, chemicals and illicit drugs, researchers say.

From BBC

The Times reported that the original project cost was $650 million, which rose after a yearlong delay precipitated by the discovery of fossils and tar under the construction site.

From Los Angeles Times

On the right, Epstein continues to be used to tar those to their left.

From Salon

The tar balls were "not harmful when on the ground but should not be touched or picked up", Mr Hutchings was quoted as saying by Australian broadcaster ABC.

From BBC

She asked Linder often for black tar heroin but told him she worried about using fentanyl.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• besmirch
• blight
• cloud
• corrupt
• damage
• discredit
• harm
• hurt
• infect
• muddy
• poison
• pollute
• smear
• spoil
• stain
• sully
• tarnish