n. 1 = SUNTAN. 2 yellowishbrown colour. 3 hark, esp. of oak, used to tan hides. adj. yellowishbrown. v. (nn) 1 make or become brown by exposure to sunlight. 2 convert (raw hide) into leather. 3 slang beat, thrash. [medieval Latin tanno, perhaps from Celtic] . tang abbr. tangent.