TAB DEFINITION
/ tæb; NAmE /
noun, verb
￮ noun
■ a small piece of paper, cloth, metal, etc. that sticks out from the edge of sth, and that is used to give information about it, or to hold it, fasten it, etc.:
- Insert tab A into slot 1 (= for example to make a model, box, etc.).
■ = tab stop
■ (NAmE) = ring pull
■ a bill for goods you receive but pay for later, especially for food or drinks in a restaurant or bar; the price or cost of sth:
- a bar tab
- Can I put it on my tab?
- The tab for the meeting could be $3 000.
￫ note at bill
■ (informal) a small solid piece of an illegal drug:
- a tab of Ecstasy
■ = tablature:
- guitar tabs
[ IDIOMS ]
keep (close) tabs on sb/sth
(informal) to watch sb/sth carefully in order to know what is happening so that you can control a particular situation:
- It's not always possible to keep tabs on everyone's movements.
---more at pick verb
￮ verb (-bb-) [vn]
■ (especially NAmE) tab sb (as) sth to say that sb is suitable for a particular job or role or describe them in a particular way:
- He has been tabbed by many people as a future champion.
■ to use the tab key when you are using a keyboard
WORD ORIGIN
tab
verb and noun senses 1 to 4late Middle English: perhaps related to the verb tag.noun sense 51960s: abbreviation.