sb. Also 7 tabb, 8 tabe. [Origin obscure. At first, and still largely, a dialect word. Not in Johnson. In some senses it may be short for tablet; in others it interchanges with tag.]
I. 1. A short broad strap, flat loop, or the like, attached by one end to an object, or forming a short projecting part by which a thing can be taken hold of, hung up, fastened, or pulled; in various applications: see quots.
1607. Markham, Caval., III. (1617), 83. How the horse is girt … and by some speciall markes or obseruations about the tabs to know how his garths do hold.
1611. Cotgr., Contresanglot, a Tab; the leather whereto a girth is fastened; a girth leather. Ibid., Crampon de cuir, a loope, or tab, of leather.
1629. Pittington Vestry Bks. (Surtees), 298. For tabbs to the bells, iiijd. [Cf. 1618 Ibid., 293 For a tagges for the belstrings, 6d.]
1664. in Archæol. Æl., XVII. 127. For broomes and a tab for ye bell 2d.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xviii. (Roxb.), 126/1. The tab at the end of a belt.
1846. Brockett, N. C. Gloss., Tab … a strap.
1879. Rutley, Stud. Rocks, v. 40. It [a geologist’s bag] should have a little tab by which it can be loosely attached to a button.
1894. Maskelyne, Sharps & Flats, 90. The ‘tab’ or loop at the back of the … boot.
1896. C. D. Waldo, Ban of the Gubbe, 144. If there were tabs to pull up the lid, why should there ever have been a knob or handle?
1904. Eng. Dial. Dict., Tab.… 5. The loop by which a garment is hung up. Sc.
1905. Daily News, 27 Sept., 6. Strong leather tabs are being fastened to the backs of the volumes of the brobdingnagian catalogues [in the British Museum Library].
b. spec. A shoe latchet, for fastening with a buckle, button, or thong. Chiefly dial.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, 47. The Tab of a Shooe, the Latchet of a Shooe.
1731. in Bailey.
1775. in Ash.
1904. in Eng. Dial. Dict. [from North of Eng. to E. Anglia].
c. A short strap attached at one end to one side of a coat, jacket, vest, etc., and having a buttonhole at the free end for fastening across.
Such a tab is often ornamented with a button at the attached end, so as to be symmetrical, and may become purely ornamental as in 2 c.
d. The metal end of a lace, etc.; = TAG sb.1 3; a shoe-string. dial.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Tab.… 2. The end of a lace, commonly, and perhaps more properly called a tag.
1904. in Eng. Dial. Dict. [Cumbld. to Oxford, and E. Anglia]. Ibid., Tab … a shoe-string [Hampsh.].
e. The tongue of a shoe or boot. dial.
1866–. in Eng. Dial. Dict. from midland countics.
2. As an ornament of dress: Each of the projecting square pieces formed by cutting out the lower edge of a jacket or other article of dress, or sewn on to its uncut edge, and usually embellished with buttons, embroidery, etc.
c. 1880. Mrs. C. M. E. Campbell, Lett. to Editor. A series of small squares cut out of the edge of a cape or sleeve and the intermediate pieces left hanging by way of fringe or ornament, is known by the name of Tabs.
1883. Truth, 31 May, 768/2. This brocade was cut out in deep tabs over a skirt of copper-coloured satin.
1887. Illustr. Lond. News, 6 Aug., 151/1. The edges of the loose fronts [of the bodice] were … cut out in tabs.
b. A similar piece sewn by its upper edge on the surface of dress, so as to hang loose; or c. in recent use, sewn on entirely, and variously adorned with buttons, beads, embroidery, etc., sometimes simulating that described in 1 c.
1834. Planché, Brit. Costume, xviii. 275. Towards the close of James [I.]’s reign, however,… short jackets or doublets, with tabs and false sleeves hanging behind, succeed to the long-waisted doublets.
1882. Daily News, 30 Aug., 3/1. Tabs are a favourite trimming for tunics.
1883. C. D. Warner, Roundabout Journey, 39. Some of them have a black rosette on the shoulder, and a tab hanging from it tipped with ermine.
1909. Civ. Serv. Store Catal., 353. [Lady’s] coat, 30 inches long, trimmed satin, with satin tabs and buttons.
3. transf. A small piece of some substance, e.g., of sod or turf.
17[?]. E. Smith, Compl. Housew. (1750), 365. Take … three or four tabes of the whitest goose-dung: put all in a quart of strong beer.
1893. Q. [Couch], Delect. Duchy, 43. The boys … could toss tabs of turf down her chimney.
4. techn. a. One of the revolving arms which lift the beaters of a fulling-mill (Knight, Dict. Mech., 1877). b. A narrow projecting strip of metal along the inside of a hollow calico-printing roller to secure it to its mandrel by means of a slot in the latter.
5. A tie-label, a Inggage label (cf. TAG sb.1 8).
1904. Eng. Dial. Dict., Tab 3, a label affixed to goods for sale; a luggage label. Warwick.
II. 6. U.S. colloq. A table, an account [cf. TABLET 1 c]; a check; esp. in phr., to keep (a) tab.
1889. Washington Post, 11 Feb. Every man keeps a mean little tab in his head on his fellows.
1890. Voice (N. Y.), 31 July. A generous mother in … Michigan has been keeping tab in her family [on the baking for a year].
1897. H. Porter, Campaigning with Grant, x. 159. You can’t get away because he [the captain] is always keeping tab on you.
1907. Daily News, 26 Aug., 7. Being subsequently shown the work tabs with the Salvation Army prices.
1907. W. James, Pragmatism, v. 172. To use this as a tally by which we ‘keep tab’ on the impressions that present themselves.
Hence Tab v. trans., to furnish or ornament with tabs: see TABBED.
