tar Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue
    pitch.
  2. noun a man who serves as a sailor
    Jack-tar; old salt; sea dog; seaman; gob; Jack; seafarer; mariner.
  3. verb coat with tar
    • tar the roof
    • tar the roads

WordNet

Tar noun
Etymology
Abbrev. from tarpaulin.
Definitions
  1. A sailor; a seaman. Colloq. Swift.
Tar noun
Etymology
OE. terre, tarre, AS. teru, teoru; akin to D. teer, G. teer, theer, Icel. tjara, Sw. tjära, Dan. tiære, and to E. tree. *63. See Tree.
Definitions
  1. A thick, black, viscous liquid obtained by the distillation of wood, coal, etc., and having a varied composition according to the temperature and material employed in obtaining it.
Tar transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Tarred ; present participle & verbal noun Tarring
Definitions
  1. To smear with tar, or as with tar; as, to tar ropes; to tar cloth.

Webster 1913