Tan, n.
1. The bark of the oak, and some other trees, bruised and broken by a mill, for tanning hides; -- so called both before and after it has been used. Called also tan bark.
2. A yellowish-brown color, like that of tan.
3. A brown color imparted to the skin by exposure to the sun; as, hands covered with tan.
Tan bed Hort., a bed made of tan; a bark bed.
Tan pickle, the liquor used in tanning leather.
Tan spud, a spud used in stripping bark for tan from trees.
Tan stove. See Bark stove, under Bark.
Tan vat, a vat in which hides are steeped in liquor with tan.