[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tan/)

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# tan

noun (a tan, tans); verb (tan, tans, tanned, tanning); adjective (tan)

«tan» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A tan is the brown colour skin gets after being in the sun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#m1)
2. (verb) To tan is to go brown in the sun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#m2)
3. (adjective, noun) Tan is a light yellow-brown colour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#m3)
4. (verb) To tan leather is to turn animal skin into leather. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#m4)
5. In maths, "tan" is short for tangent (for older pupils). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#m5)

### In the lessons

Used in health and safety: a tan is a sign that skin has been damaged by the sun; wear sun cream, a hat and stay in the shade. In art and description: tan shoes, a tan dog. In history: tanning leather.

### Examples

- He got a tan on holiday. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#x1)
- A tan is a sign that the sun has hurt your skin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#x2)
- Wear sun cream so you don't burn or tan. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#x3)
- She wore tan boots. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#x4)
- Our dog is black and tan. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#x5)
- People tanned animal skins to make leather. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#x6)
- My arms tanned in the garden. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/#x7)

### Note

Verb doubles the n: tanned, tanning. Myth: "a tan protects you" is mostly false; sun damage still happens.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tan/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tan.html) on Mova free.