See Also: tarpaulin(dictionary)
tarpaulin(dictionary)

tarpaulin (iou)



tarpaulin noun, adjective, & verb. E17.
[Prob. from TAR noun1 + PALL noun1 + -ING1.]
A. noun.
a. A waterproof protective covering or sheet of heavy-duty treated cloth, esp. tarred canvas. Also, canvas or other cloth so tarred; other waterproofed protective cloth. E17.
M. Dibdin At the side of the house..stood a large skip covered with a tarpaulin.
b. A sailor's tarred or oilskin hat. M19.
a. transf. (A nickname for) a sailor, esp. an ordinary sailor. Now arch. rare. M17.
b. Hist. A superior naval officer (captain etc.) as opp. to a military officer appointed to command a man-of-war. rare. L17.
Comb.: tarpaulin muster (a) a collection or pooling of money among sailors; (b) Austral. a pooling of clothes, funds, etc. for common use.
b. attrib. or as adjective.
Made of tarpaulin. E17.
Of or pertaining to a sailor or sailors. Now arch. rare. M17.
C. verb trans. Cover with a tarpaulin. L19.
F. Anstey Some tarpaulined cattle-vans.