tattoo
(redirected from tattoos)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
tat·too 1
(tă-to͞o′)n. pl. tat·toos
1. A signal sounded on a drum or bugle to summon soldiers or sailors to their quarters at night.
2. A display of military exercises and music offered as evening entertainment.
3. A continuous, even drumming or rapping.
v. tat·tooed, tat·too·ing, tat·toos
v.intr.
To beat out an even rhythm, as with the fingers.
v.tr.
To beat or tap rhythmically on; rap or drum on.
[Alteration of Dutch taptoe, tap-shut (closing time for taverns), tattoo : tap, spigot, tap (from Middle Dutch tappe) + toe, shut (from Middle Dutch; see de- in Indo-European roots).]
tat·too 2
(tă-to͞o′)n. pl. tat·toos
1. A permanent mark or design made on the skin by a process of pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment or by raising scars.
2. A design made on the skin with a temporary dye such as henna or ink.
tr.v. tat·tooed, tat·too·ing, tat·toos
1. To mark (the skin) with a tattoo.
2. To form (a tattoo) on the skin.
[From Tahitian tatau and kindred Polynesian words, all from Proto-Polynesian *tatau.]
tat·too′er n.
tat·too′ist n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
tattoo
(tæˈtuː)n, pl -toos
1. (Military) (formerly) a signal by drum or bugle ordering the military to return to their quarters
2. (Military) a military display or pageant, usually at night
3. (Music, other) any similar beating on a drum, etc
[C17: from Dutch taptoe, from the command tap toe! turn off the taps! from tap tap of a barrel + toe to shut]
tattoo
(tæˈtuː)vb, -toos, -tooing or -tooed
(Art Terms) to make (pictures or designs) on (the skin) by pricking and staining with indelible colours
n, pl -toos
1. (Art Terms) a design made by this process
2. (Art Terms) the practice of tattooing
[C18: from Tahitian tatau]
tatˈtooer, tatˈtooist n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
tat•too1
(tæˈtu)n., pl. -toos.
1. a bugle call or other signal preceding taps and ordering soldiers to go to their quarters.
2. a knocking or strong pulsation: My heart beat a tattoo on my ribs.
3. Brit. an outdoor military pageant or display.
[1570–80; earlier taptoo < Dutch taptoe= tap tap2 + toe shut]
tat•too2
(tæˈtu)n., pl. -toos, n.
1. the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible designs, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments.
2. any mark or markings so made.
v.t. 3. to mark with tattoos, as a person or a part of the body.
4. to put (a design, legend, etc.) on the skin.
[1769 (James Cook); earlier also tattow < Tahitian, Samoan, or Tongan tatau, Marquesan tatu]
tat•too′er, tat•too′ist, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
tattoo
- In the military sense—of a signal summoning soldiers to their quarters at night—it was originally written tap-too, from a Dutch word taptoe, meaning "close the tap" (of a cask), which was told to soldiers when they were expected to return to their quarters.See also related terms for tap.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
tattoo
Past participle: tattooed
Gerund: tattooing
| Imperative |
|---|
| tattoo |
| tattoo |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | tattoo - a drumbeat or bugle call that signals the military to return to their quarters bugle call - a signal broadcast by the sound of a bugle drumbeat - (military) the beating of a drum as a signal for lowering the flag at sundown armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" |
| 2. | tattoo - a design on the skin made by tattooing | |
| 3. | tattoo - the practice of making a design on the skin by pricking and staining decoration - the act of decorating something (in the hope of making it more attractive) | |
| Verb | 1. | tattoo - stain (skin) with indelible color stain - color with a liquid dye or tint; "Stain this table a beautiful walnut color"; "people knew how to stain glass a beautiful blue in the middle ages" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
tattoo
1 [təˈtuː]A. N (on body) → tatuaje m
B. VT (tattooed (pt, pp)) → tatuar
tattoo
2 [təˈtuː] N (Mil) (= signal) → retreta f (Brit) (= pageant) → gran espectáculo m militar, exhibición f del arte militarthe Edinburgh tattoo → el espectáculo militar de Edimburgo
to beat a tattoo with one's fingers → tamborilear con los dedos EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
tattoo
(təˈtuː) , ((American) tӕ-) – 3rd person singular present tense tatˈtoos: past tense, past participle tatˈtooed – verb to make coloured patterns or pictures on part of a person's body by pricking the skin and putting in dyes. The design was tattooed on his arm.tatuar
noun – plural tatˈtoos – a design tattooed on the skin. His arms were covered with tattoos.tatuaje
tatˈtooed adjectiveKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
tattoo
→ tatuajeMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
tattoo
n (pl -toos) tatuaje mEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.