taw

¹ American  

[taw] / tɔ /

noun

1. a choice or fancy marble used as a shooter.

2. a game in which marbles are arranged in the center of a circle drawn or scratched on the ground, the object being to knock out as many as possible from the circle; ringer.

3. Also taw line the line from which the players shoot.

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verb (used without object)

1. to shoot a marble.

taw ² American  

[taw] / tɔ /

verb (used with object)

1. to prepare or dress (some raw material) for use or further manipulation.

2. to transform (the skin of an animal) into white leather by the application of minerals, emulsions, etc.

3. Archaic. to flog; thrash.

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taw ³ American  

[tahv, tawv, tahf, tawf] / tɑv, tɔv, tɑf, tɔf /

noun

1. tav.

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taw ¹ British  

/ tɔː /

noun

1. the line from which the players shoot in marbles

2. informal back to the beginning

3. a large marble used for shooting

4. a game of marbles

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taw ² British  

/ tɔː /

verb

1. to convert (skins) into white leather by treatment with mineral salts, such as alum and salt, rather than by normal tanning processes

2. archaic to flog; beat

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Other Word Forms

• tawer noun

Etymology

Origin of taw¹

First recorded in 1700–10; origin uncertain

Origin of taw²

First recorded before 900; Middle English tauen, tawen, Old English tawian “to prepare or treat hide,” cognate with Dutch touwen “to tan, prepare leather,” Gothic taujan “to do, make”