Taproot
(Tap"root`) n. (Bot.) The root of a plant which penetrates the earth directly downward to a
considerable depth without dividing.
Tapster
(Tap"ster) n. [AS. tæppestre a female tapster. See Tap a plug, pipe, and -ster.] One whose
business is to tap or draw ale or other liquor.
Taqua-nut
(Ta"qua-nut`) n. (Bot.) A Central American name for the ivory nut.
Tar
(Tar) n. [Abbrev. from tarpaulin.] A sailor; a seaman. [Colloq.] Swift.
Tar
(Tar), n. [OE. terre, tarre, AS. teru, teoru; akin to D. teer, G. teer, theer, Icel. tjara, Sw. tjära,
Dan. tiære, and to E. tree. &radic63. See Tree.] A thick, black, viscous liquid obtained by the distillation
of wood, coal, etc., and having a varied composition according to the temperature and material employed
in obtaining it.
Coal tar. See in the Vocabulary. — Mineral tar (Min.), a kind of soft native bitumen. — Tar board,
a strong quality of millboard made from junk and old tarred rope. Knight. — Tar water. (a) A cold
infusion of tar in water, used as a medicine. (b) The ammoniacal water of gas works. — Wood tar,
tar obtained from wood. It is usually obtained by the distillation of the wood of the pine, spruce, or fir,
and is used in varnishes, cements, and to render ropes, oakum, etc., impervious to water.
Tar
(Tar), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tarred ; p. pr. & vb. n. Tarring.] To smear with tar, or as with tar; as,
to tar ropes; to tar cloth.
To tar and feather a person. See under Feather, v. t.
Taranis
(Tar"a*nis) n. [L. taranis, from the Celtic; cf. W. & Corn. taran thunder.] (Myth.) A Celtic
divinity, regarded as the evil principle, but confounded by the Romans with Jupiter.
Tarantass
(Tar`an*tass") n. [Russ. tarantas'.] A low four-wheeled carriage used in Russia. The carriage
box rests on two long, springy poles which run from the fore to the hind axletree. When snow falls, the
wheels are taken off, and the body is mounted on a sledge.
Tarantella
(Tar`an*tel"la) n. [It.] (Mus.) (a) A rapid and delirious sort of Neapolitan dance in 6-8 time,
which moves in whirling triplets; — so called from a popular notion of its being a remedy against the
poisonous bite of the tarantula. Some derive its name from Taranto in Apulia. (b) Music suited to such
a dance.
Tarantism
(Tar"ant*ism) n. [It. tarantismo: cf. F. tarentisme. See Tarantula.] (Med.) A nervous affection
producing melancholy, stupor, and an uncontrollable desire to dance. It was supposed to be produced
by the bite of the tarantula, and considered to be incapable of cure except by protracted dancing to
appropriate music. [Written also tarentism.]
Tarantula
(Ta*ran"tu*la) n.; pl. E. Tarantulas L. Tarantulæ [NL., fr. It. tarantola, fr. L. Tarentum, now
Taranto, in the south of Italy.] (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of large spiders, popularly supposed to
be very venomous, especially the European species The tarantulas of Texas and adjacent countries are
large species of Mygale. [Written also tarentula.]
Tarantula killer, a very large wasp (Pompilus formosus), which captures the Texan tarantula (Mygale
Hentzii) and places it in its nest as food for its young, after paralyzing it by a sting.
