tan someone's hide
(Redirected from tan somebody's hide)
English
editEtymology
editBy metaphor from tannery: beating hides (to condition them), tanning them (with dyes and chemicals), and so on.
Pronunciation
editAudio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
edittan someone's hide (third-person singular simple present tans someone's hide, present participle tanning someone's hide, simple past and past participle tanned someone's hide)
- (idiomatic, figurative) To beat or spank someone.
- 1908, Stewart Edward White, chapter 12, in The Adventures of Bobby Orde:
- "You lying little snipe," he roared. ". . . I've a mind to tan your hide good."