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# tart

noun (a tart, tarts); adjective (tart, tarter, tartest); verb (tart up — informal, UK)

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

## Everyday

1. A tart is an open pie made of pastry with a sweet or savoury filling, like jam or fruit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#m1)
2. (adjective) Tart means sour or sharp in taste, like a lemon or a green apple. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#m2)
3. (adjective) A tart reply is short and unkind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#m3)
4. (informal, UK) To tart something up is to decorate it or make it look nicer quickly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#m4)
5. (rude, offensive) Tart is an insulting word for a woman; do not use it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#m5)

### In the lessons

In cooking and everyday life: jam tarts, apple tarts, Bakewell tart. In fractions lessons a tart may be cut into equal pieces. In stories a «tart answer» shows irritation. Phrases: «jam tart», «tart up».

### Examples

- We made jam tarts in cooking club. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x1)
- The apple tart was cut into eight equal slices. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x2)
- These green apples taste a bit tart. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x3)
- Lemon juice gives the sauce a tart flavour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x4)
- «I'm busy,» she said in a tart voice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x5)
- They tarted up the old shop with fresh paint. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x6)
- The baker sold 24 tarts and had 6 left. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x7)
- In places the air was darkened by showers of lobster-patties, white puddings, sausages, tarts, and all sorts of sweetmeats, or with pieces of gold and silver, diamonds and pearls. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tart/#x8)

### Note

Countable noun: one tart, two tarts. The rude meaning is offensive; never call a person a tart. «Tart» (sour) is similar to «sharp» or «sour». In maths: if a tart is cut into 8 equal slices, each slice is one eighth.

## On Mova

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