taw
English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle English tawen, from Old English tawian (“to do, make”), from Proto-Germanic *tawjaną (“to make, prepare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewǝ- (“to tie to, secure”). Cognate with Dutch touwen (“to rope, tether, curry”), Dutch tuien (“to fasten with ropes”), German Tau (“rope, hawser, cable”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 (taujan, “to make, prepare”). Related to tool and tether.
Verb
taw (third-person singular simple present taws, present participle tawing, simple past and past participle tawed)
- (transitive, obsolete) To prepare or dress, as hemp, by beating; to tew; hence, to beat; to scourge.
- (transitive) To dress and prepare, as the skins of sheep, lambs, goats, and kids, for gloves, and the like, by imbuing them with alum, salt, and other agents, for softening and bleaching them.
- (transitive) Specifically, to turn (animals’ hide) into leather, usually by soaking it in a certain solution.
Related terms
Noun
taw (plural taws)
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Origin unknown.
Noun
taw (plural taws)
- A favorite marble in the game of marbles.
- A line or mark from which the players begin a game of marbles.
- ring-taw
- (square dancing) dance partner
- Walk around your corner, see-saw around your taw.
- A favorite person; beloved, partner, spouse.
Verb
taw (third-person singular simple present taws, present participle tawing, simple past and past participle tawed)
- to shoot a marble
Etymology 3
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Noun
taw (plural taws)
- The twenty-second and last letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).
Translations
External links
References
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
Anagrams
Welsh
Etymology 1
From Proto-Celtic *tā- (compare Old Irish at·tá), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”).
Verb
taw
- third-person singular present of bod
Etymology 2
Verb
taw
- second-person singular imperative of tewi