pull tabn.
/ˈpʊl tab/, U.S. /ˈpʊl ˌtæb/ 1.
a. Chiefly North American. An attachment which when pulled enables something to be opened or removed; spec. an attachment on a zip for pulling it open and closed.Earliest in attributive use.
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1924 Atlanta Constit. 18 Dec. 9 (advt.) We are showing an interesting collection of Pull-Tab cigarette cases in genuine leather.
1926 Appleton (Wisconsin) Post–Crescent 2 Apr. 7 (advt.) Hand Bags of Genuine Leather... With Chinese metal monogram on the pull tab.
1940 Lima (Ohio) News 3 Oct. 5 (advt.) Underarm bag, zipper top closing with leather pull tab.
1958 Chicago Tribune 7 Feb. iii. 13/5 The gold foil pop-top box has a pull tab that opens just wide enough to slide out one of the foil wrapped sticks of margarine.
1993 Canad. Living Sept. 94/3 Add ribbon or fabric pull-tabs to zippers to help little hands.
2004 High Mountain Mar. 65/1 It also needs insulated hand warmer pockets and a zip that's easy to operate with mitts on, or the ability to attach a stonking pull tab.
b. North American. An attached device for opening a can, typically comprising a ring that is pulled in order to open a hole for pouring or to remove the top of the can; a ring pull. Also attributive, as pull tab can, pull tab top, etc.
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the world > space > relative position > condition of being open or not closed > [noun] > action or process of opening > one who or that which opens > ring-pull
pop-top1957
pull tab1962
tab1963
ring opener1968
ring pull2005
1962 Lima (Ohio) News 15 Mar. 21/2 The new pull-tab cans and self-opening can—also with built-in pouring tip for evaporated milk and beer.
1964 Coshocton (Ohio) Tribune 5 Aug. 6/6 He predicted that canned soft drinks will attain more than 10 per cent of the market.., largely because of the new pull-tabs.
1965 Economist 5 June 1150/1 The successful development of pull-tab tops for beer tins, so that they can be opened by hand rather than with an opener.
1978 J. Updike Coup vi. 239 Take care..not to drop the pull~tab [on a can of soft drink], once removed, back into the can.
1992 W. Rathje & C. Murphy Rubbish! ix. 198 Oregon passed the first bottle bill in 1972. Among other things, it banned pull-tab cans.
2002 Antigonish Rev. Autumn 130 He keenly understands that the crackle of a metal pull-tab means food.
2. North American. Gambling. A type of lottery ticket, the topmost layer of which may be partially removed to reveal whether a prize has been won.
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1947 Zanesville (Ohio) Signal 29 Apr. 8/1 Police this morning raided the Ellis lunch room on North Seventh street and confiscated two tip boards, two pull tab cards, and one ‘cookie’ jar.
1948 Council Bluffs (Iowa) Nonpareil 21 May 2/3 (caption) [They] conducted a series of real gambling raids. Here are three of them with ‘pull tabs’ and cards they seized.
1963 Reno (Nevada) Evening Gaz. 11 Mar. 1/1 Many cities licensed pinball machines, punchboards, pull tabs and other gambling devices.
1996 C. Kremers Place of Pretend People xv. 216 They bought pull tabs.., ripping open the colored cardboard pictures and dropping them on the floor by the cashier.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1924