Search results for 'tab':

tab¹ noun 1 a small flap, tag, strip of material, etc attached to an article, for hanging it up, opening, holding or identifying it, etc. 2 a small strip of material attached to a garment for hanging it up. 3 chiefly N Amer a bill, eg in a restaurant, especially an account that is opened, eg at the beginning of an evening, and added to until it is settled at the end of the evening. 4 chiefly N Amer a price; cost. 5 N Eng slang a cigarette. verb (tabbed, tabbing) to fix a tab to something or someone. keep tabs on someone or something colloq to keep a close watch or check on them or it. pick up the tab chiefly N Amer to pay the bill.
ETYMOLOGY: 19c: probably originally a dialect word.

tab² noun a key on a typewriter or word processor which sets and then automatically finds the position of the margins and columns needed to arrange information in a table. Also called tabulator.
ETYMOLOGY: Early 20c: an abbreviation of tabulator.

tab³ noun 1 a pill or drug, especially a small square of paper containing LSD or Ecstasy. 2 short for tablet 1.
ETYMOLOGY: 1960s.