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Tar vs Tab - What's the difference?

tar | tab |

As a proper noun tar

is a village in hungary.

As a noun tab is

a key on computer keyboards.

tar

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . More at tree.

Noun

(en noun)
  • (uncountable) A black, oily, sticky, viscous substance, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons derived from organic materials such as wood, peat, or coal.
  • Coal tar.
  • (uncountable) A solid residual byproduct of tobacco smoke.
  • (slang, dated) A sailor, because of their tarpaulin clothes. Also Jack Tar.
    • (Jonathan Swift)
  • black tar, a form of heroin
    • Derived terms
    * coal tar * mineral tar * tar board * Tar Heel * tar water * tarmacadam, tarmac * tarpaulin * wood tar

    Verb

  • To coat with tar.
  • To besmirch.
    • Although he was found innocent, the allegations had tarred his name.
    Derived terms
    * tar and feather * tar with the same brush

    Etymology 2

    Abbreviation of tape archive .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (computing) A program for archiving files, common on Unix.
  • (computing) A file produced by such a program.
    • Derived terms
    * (l)

    Verb

  • (computing) To create a tar archive.
    • Antonyms
    *

    Anagrams

    * * *

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (musical instruments) a Persian long-necked, waisted instrument, shared by many cultures and countries in the Middle East and the Caucasus

    • tab

    English

    Etymology 1

    First attested 1607, of uncertain origin.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small flap or strip of material attached to something, for holding, manipulation, identification, etc.
  • * 1993 , Irvine Welsh: Trainspotting , p 333:
    • He pulls off his belt, cursing as the studs catch in the tabs of his jeans.
  • (by extension, graphical user interface) A navigational widget for switching between sets of controls or documents.
  • (label) A tablet, especially one containing illicit drugs.
  • A fast march or run with full kit.

    • Verb

  • Mark with a tab.
  • (computing) To use the Tab key on a computer or typewriter to navigate the screen or page.
  • * 2010 , Chris Anderson, Pro Business Applications with Silverlight 4 (page 210)
    • You can prevent a control from getting the focus when the user is tabbing between controls by settings its IsTabStop property to False.
  • Short for tabulate.
    • Derived terms
    * keep tabs on * tabbed

    Etymology 2

    Apocopation (shortening) of tabulation.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) A restaurant bill.
  • (slang) Credit account, e.g., in a shop or bar.
    • Put this round on my tab , will you, barman.
  • Short for tabulator.
  • (computing) A space character ((tab)) that extends to the next aligned column, traditionally used for tabulation.
    • Derived terms
    * pick up the tab

    Etymology 3

    Likely to have been formed by clipping the Geordie pronunciation of the word or alternatively from the brand name Ogden's Tabs .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Geordie and Mackem) cigarette.
    • Giv'is a tab man!

    References

    *

    Etymology 4

    Shortening of tablature.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A form of musical notation indicating fingering rather than the pitch of notes, commonly used for stringed instruments.

    • Etymology 5

    Derived from the Latin Cantabrigia (often shortened to Cantab.).

    Noun

  • (rfv-sense)(slang) A student of Cambridge University.

    • Etymology 6

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (label) A tabloid newspaper.
  • * 1999 , George H. Douglas, The Golden Age of the Newspaper, p. 229:
  • * 2010 , Robert Lusetich, Unplayable: An Inside Account of Tiger's Most Tumultuous Season:

    • Anagrams

    * * * * English clippings ----