Taw
(Taw) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tawed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Tawing.] [OE. tawen, tewen, AS. tawian to
prepare; cf. D. touwen, Goth. tewa order, taujan to do, and E. tool. &radic64. Cf. 1st Tew, Tow the
coarse part of flax.]
1. To prepare or dress, as hemp, by beating; to tew; hence, to beat; to scourge. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
2. 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.
Taw
(Taw), n. [Cf. AS. taw instrument.]
1. A large marble to be played with; also, a game at marbles.
2. A line or mark from which the players begin a game of marbles. [Colloq. U. S.]
Tawdrily
(Taw"dri*ly) adv. In a tawdry manner.
Tawdriness
(Taw"dri*ness), n. Quality or state of being tawdry.
A clumsy person makes his ungracefulness more ungraceful by tawdriness of dress.
Richardson. Tawdry
(Taw"dry) a. [Compar. Tawdrier ; superl. Tawdriest.] [Said to be corrupted from Saint Audrey,
or Auldrey, meaning Saint Ethelreda, implying therefore, originally, bought at the fair of St. Audrey,
where laces and gay toys of all sorts were sold. This fair was held in Isle Ely, and probably at other
places, on the day of the saint, which was the 17th of October.]
1. Bought at the festival of St. Audrey. [Obs.]
And gird in your waist,
For more fineness, with a tawdry lace.
Spenser. 2. Very fine and showy in colors, without taste or elegance; having an excess of showy ornaments without
grace; cheap and gaudy; as, a tawdry dress; tawdry feathers; tawdry colors.
He rails from morning to night at essenced fops and tawdry courtiers.
Spectator. Tawdry
(Taw"dry), n.; pl. Tawdries A necklace of a rural fashion, bought at St. Audrey's fair; hence, a
necklace in general. [Obs.]
Of which the Naiads and the blue Nereids make
Them tawdries for their necks.
Drayton. Tawer
(Taw"er) n. One who taws; a dresser of white leather.
Tawery
(Taw"er*y) n. A place where skins are tawed.
Tawniness
(Taw"ni*ness) n. The quality or state of being tawny.
