twentieth letter of the English alphabet; in the Phoenician alphabet the corresponding sign was the 22nd and last; all beyond T in the modern alphabet represents European alterations or additions. The sound has been consistent throughout its history. The letter formerly was branded on the hand of a convicted thief. Also compare th.
In Late Latin and Old French, -t- before -e- and -i- acquired the "s" value of -c- and words appeared in both spellings (nationem/nacionem) and often passed into Middle English with a -c- (nacioun). In most of these the spelling was restored to a -t- by or during early Modern English. Edmund Coote's "English Schoole-maister" (1596) still has malicious/malitious; and a few words well-established in the old spelling (space, place, coercion, suspicion) resisted restoration.
The pronunciation shift in -tu- words in southern English, to "-shu-" (nature, actually), was noticed by c. 1900.
To cross one's t's (and dot one's i's) "be exact" is attested from 1849. Phrase to a T "exactly, with utmost exactness" is recorded from 1690s, though the exact signification remains uncertain despite much speculation. The measuring tool called a T-square (sometimes suggested as the source of this) is recorded by that name only from 1785.
In medicine, the T-cell (1970) is so called because the cells are derived from the thymus. As a medieval numeral, T represented 160.
1772, "natural infantile sound of gratitude" [Weekley].
"small flap or strip of material made fast to an object at one edge" for use in pulling, hanging, etc., c. 1600; of uncertain origin, possibly from a dialectal word. It is often interchangeable with tag (n.1). Middle English had tabbe "strap or string" (mid-15c.), for which Middle English Compendium compares Norwegian dialectal tave "piece of cloth, rag."
As a built-in opening device on a can, by 1963.
"account, bill, check," 1888, American English colloquial, probably a shortened form of tabulation or of tablet in the sense of "sheet for writing."
The figurative phrase keep tabs on "keep a (written) account or record of" is by 1886; in baseball reporting to keep tab was to "keep score" (1882).
Mr. Blake, of the New York Tribune, who keeps "tab" of the Blaine vote, claimed last night 333 votes on the first ballot .... [Owosso (Michigan) Times, June 6, 1884]
1969, short for tab key (1916) of a typewriter (later computer); a short form of tabulator. As "pill, lozenge" it is by 1961, shortened form of tablet (in the later 1960s and after especially one of sugar containing LSD). As an abbreviation of tabloid (newspaper) it is 1990s slang. As a short form of tabulator key of a typewriter (later computer) it is recorded from 1916.
obsolete form of tobacco. In pharmacy tabacum was "tobacco in the natural dried state."
"sleeveless overgarment," c. 1300 (late 13c. as a surname), from Old French tabart "simple sleeveless overtunic," also "heavy over-mantel" (12c.), a word of unknown origin; Diez suggests Latin tapete "figured cloth." Compare Medieval Latin tabardum, early Spanish tabardo, Italian tabarro.
Originally a coarse, sleeveless upper garment worn by peasants, monks, and others who worked out-of-doors; later a knight's surcoat, richly adorned (mid-15c.).
The name of the tavern in "Canterbury Tales." Middle English Compendium points to another Middle English tabard meaning "small tank for holding ale or rainwater."
state in Mexico, from an unidentified Mexican indigenous language and of unknown etymology.
As the proprietary name of a type of hot sauce, by 1876, (the sauce so called from 1650s, originally Tavasco), named for the state perhaps because the pepper sauce was first encountered there by European travelers. The trademark (by Edward Avery McIlhenny) claims use from c. 1870.
