Tab

Pronunciation

• IPA: /tæb/
• Rhymes: -æb

First attested 1607, of uncertain origin.

Full definition of tab

Noun

1. 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.
2. (by extension, graphical user interface) A navigational widget for switching between sets of controls or documents.
3. (informal) A tablet, especially one containing illicit drugs.
4. (British Army, slang) A fast march or run with full kit.
5. (slang) A student of Cambridge University, derived from the Latin Cantabrigia (often shortened to Cantab.).

Verb

1. Mark with a tab.
2. (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.
3. Short for tabulate.

Derived terms

• keep tabs on
• tabbed

Apocopation (shortening) of tabulation.

Noun

1. (informal) A restaurant bill.
2. (slang) Credit account, e.g., in a shop or bar.Put this round on my tab, will you, barman.
3. Short for tabulator.
4. (computing) A space character () that extends to the next aligned column, traditionally used for tabulation.

Derived terms

• pick up the tab

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

Noun

1. (Geordie) cigarette.Giv'is a tab man!

Shortening of tablature.

Noun

1. A form of musical notation indicating fingering rather than the pitch of notes, commonly used for stringed instruments.

Anagrams

• abt
• ATB
• bat
• TBA