tartann.1
/ˈtɑːt(ə)n/, U.S. /ˈtɑrt(ə)n/, Scottish English /ˈtart(ə)n/ Originally Scottish.
1.
a. A kind of woollen cloth woven in stripes of various colours crossing at right angles so as to form a regular pattern; worn chiefly by the Scottish Highlanders, each clan having generally its distinctive pattern; often preceded by a clan-name, etc. denoting a particular traditional or authorized design. Also, the pattern or design of such cloth, and applied to silk and other fabrics having a similar pattern. shepherds' tartan, shepherds' plaid: see quot. 1882. In quot. 1810 plural tartan garments.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from wool > [noun] > tartan
tartan?a1500
plaid1510
plaiding1548
tartana1721
the world > matter > colour > variegation > chequered pattern > [noun] > tartan
plaid1845
tartan1855
plaiding1889
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from wool > [noun] > tartan > pattern of
set1721
tartan1855
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > patterned > checked > specific
pulicat1768
tartan1891
Tattersall1891
houndstooth1959
?a1500 Symmye & Bruder 22 in Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry (1802) I. 360 Syne schupe thame up, to lowp owr leiss, Twa tabartis of the tartane.
1533 in J. B. Paul Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1905) VI. 79 For fresing of ane tartane galcot.
1533 in J. B. Paul Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1905) VI. 80 Ane uthir tartane galcoit gevin to the King be the Maister Forbes.
1538 in J. B. Paul Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1905) VI. 436 Item, for iij elnis of heland tertane to be hois to the Kingis grace, price of the elne iiij s. iiij d.
1546 in J. Stuart Extracts Council Reg. Aberdeen (1844) I. 236 Item, ane vob of tartane, contenand x ellis, the price of ell iiij s.
1546 in J. Stuart Extracts Council Reg. Aberdeen (1844) I. 236 Ane blankat of tartane.
1548–51 Aberdeen Regr. XX. (Jam.) Ane gelcoit of quhit tertane.
1630 J. Taylor Pennyles Pilgrimage in All Wks. i. 135/1 Stockings (which they call short hose) made of a warme stuffe of diuers colours, which they call Tartane.
1803 Gazetteer Scotl. at Ninians (St.) Of late, the greater part of the tartan for the army has been manufactured in this parish.
1810 W. Scott Lady of Lake iii. 134 Their feathers dance, their tartans float,..A wild and warlike groupe they stand.
1822 D. Stewart Sketches Highlanders Scotl. I. iii. i. 229 The pipers wore a red tartan of very bright colours, (of the pattern known by the name of the Stewart tartan).
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xiii. 354 Men wearing the same tartan, and attached to the same lord, were arrayed against each other.
1862 J. Skelton Nugæ Criticæ vi. 239 Dressed in a bodice and kirtle of shepherd tartan.
1882 Ogilvie's Imperial Dict. (new ed.) Shepherd's..tartan, a kind of small check pattern in cloth, woven with black and white warp and weft; (b) a kind of cloth..woven in this pattern—generally made into shepherd's plaids.
1891 Cent. Dict. (at cited word) Silk tartan, a silk material for women's dresses and men's waistcoats, woven in the style of the Scottish clan tartans.
1897 Private Life of Queen xxv. 209 The writing-room is hung entirely with the Balmoral tartan.
1905 Times 7 Sept. 5/4 Considerable success has followed the bringing out of quite a variety of tartans for next spring.
1906 Athenæum 2 June 671/2 The whole question of the date of clan tartans is difficult.
1949 ‘J. Tey’ Brat Farrar xiii. 114 A frayed Stewart tartan ribbon off a box of Edinburgh rock.
1981 Times 3 Feb. 17/6 Streaming from her helmet were two lengths of Colquhoun tartan from the clan of which her father was chief.
b. transferred. Applied to one who wears tartan; a Highlander; collectively, those who wear tartan; the body of Highlanders; the men of a Highland regiment.
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society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > unit of army > named companies, regiments, etc. > [noun] > British
Ulsters1649
Scots Guardsa1675
fusilier1680
guards1682
Scots Dragoons1689
Scots Fusiliers1689
Inniskilling1715
Scots Greys1728
blue1737
Black Watch1739
Oxford blues1766
green linnets1793
Grenadiers1800
slashers1802
the Buffs1806
tartan1817
Gay Gordons1823
cheesemongers1824
Green Jacket1824
The Bays1837
RHA1837
dirty half-hundred1841
die-hard1844
lifeguard1849
cherry-picker1865
lancer-regiment1868
cheeses1877
Territorial Regiment1877
the Sweeps1879
dirty shirts1887
Scottish Rifles1888
shiner1891
Yorkshire1898
imperials1899
Irish guards1902
Hampshires1904
BEF1914
Old Contemptibles1915
contemptibles1917
Tank Corps1917
the Tins1918
skins1928
pioneer corps1939
red devils1943
Blues and Royals1968
U.D.R.1969
the world > people > nations > native or inhabitant of Europe > British nation > Scots nation > [noun] > native or inhabitant of Scotland > parts of Scotland > collectively
Scotti?a1475
tartan1817
1817 Canning in W. Hanna Mem. T. Chalmers (1850) II. v. 102 The tartan [so runs the speech attributed to him, i.e. Canning, regarding Dr. C.] beats us all.
1859 Colin Campbell in A. Forbes Life v. 127 [Then Sir Colin called to Colonel Ewart,] ‘Ewart! Bring on the tartan!’..[and the seven companies of the Ninety-Third dashed from behind the bank].
c. Used to denote young people who are members of Protestant gangs in Northern Ireland, from their traditional support of Glasgow Rangers Football Club.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > violent behaviour > [noun] > person > supporting specific football team
tartan1972
1972 Guardian 17 Mar. 1/3 The local Protestant street gangs, mainly known as ‘Tartans’ because of their traditional association with the Rangers Football club.
1974 Listener 14 Mar. 324/2 Until recently these streets were terrorised by Tartan Gangs. Now their place has been taken by these youngsters, acting in the name of the Loyalist cause... Their behaviour is modelled on the Tartans.
1977 P. Carter Under Goliath iii. 15 Most of the kids were in tough Prod gangs, like the Tartans.
2. Angling. Name of an artificial salmon-fly.
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the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > means of attracting fish > [noun] > artificial fly > salmon flies
salmon fly1704
kingfisher?1758
tartan1837
goldfinch1845
parr-tail1847
baker1848
butcher1860
Jock Scott1866
claret1867
colonel1867
king1867
major1867
Shannon fly1867
wasp1867
chimney-sweep1872
Jack Scott1874
hornet1876
winesop black1876
mystery1880
1837 J. Kirkbride Northern Angler 73 What is called the tartan-fly kills well in the Highlands at the clearing of the water.
1847 T. T. Stoddart Angler's Compan. xiii. 240 Salmon flies... The Tartan. Mottled black and white tail feather from turkey.
1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling x. 315 The Tartan is a strange looking fly. [Description follows.]
3. Short for tartan-purry n. at Compounds b. Scottish.
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the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > puddings > [noun] > other puddings
alker1381
moile1381
tansyc1450
tansy-cakea1475
hasty pudding1598
hodge-puddinga1616
bread pudding1623
marrowbone pudding1623
marrow-pudding1631
turmeric puddinga1704
Indian pudding1722
Westminster fool1723
pease pudding1725
pone1725
bread and butter pudding1727
custard pudding1727
purry1751
tartan-purry1751
tansy-pudding1769
vermicelli pudding1769
skimmer-cake1795
dogsbody1818
kugel1823
stickjaw1827
kheer1832
pea pudding1844
dough1848
mousseline1876
mousse1885
goose-pudding1892
payasam1892
tartan1893
malva puddinga1981
1893 T. F. Henderson Old World Scotl. 80 Of oatmeal we have tartan—a pudding made chiefly of chopped kale and oatmeal.
4. (Properly with capital initial.) The proprietary name of a synthetic resin material used for surfacing running tracks, ramps, etc. Usually attributive, as Tartan track.
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society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > synthetic resins and plastics > [noun] > synthetic resin > specific synthetic resins
coumarone resin1900
novolak1909
glyptal1915
marblette1927
Vinylite1929
polyolefin1930
polysulphone1934
urea resin1937
melamine resin1939
polyurethane1939
polyvinylidene chloride1940
polyvinyl butyral1941
polyimide1945
Teflon1945
Araldite1946
polytetrafluoroethylene1946
epoxy resin1950
urethane1956
Maraglas1962
tartan1964
alkyd1984
1964 Official Gaz. (U.S. Patent Office) 14 Jan. tm60/1 Tartan. For synthetic resin material for application to various surfaces..To provide a resilient surface theron. First use Aug. 28, 1962.
1968 Listener 10 Oct. 485/2 The 100-metre final is also on Day Three. A fast time with thin air, the ‘tartan’ track and, maybe, the new brush spike, is inevitable.
1969 Trade Marks Jrnl. 22 Oct. 1732/1 Tartan... Synthetic resins for use as floor and road surfacing materials.
1972 Radio Times 1 June 13/3 Britain's sprint hope..says..‘I've got a good coach, there's a tartan track two minutes up the road.’
Compounds
attributive.
a. Made of tartan; having a chequered pattern like that of tartan.
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the world > matter > colour > variegation > chequered pattern > [adjective] > tartan
tartan1533
plaided1746
glen1923
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [adjective] > patterned > checked
tartan1533
plaided1746
glen1923
Tattersall1958
overchecked1969
15331 [see sense 1a].
1549 Fragm. Ayr Burgh Rec. (Gen. Reg. Ho., Edinb.) Item for teartane claith, aucht lib.
1721 A. Ramsay Tartana 78 Who 'midst the snows the best of limbs can fold In Tartan Plaids, and smile at chilling cold.
c1750 in Ritson Sc. Songs (1794) II. 107 O! to see his tartan trouze, Bonnet blue, and laigh-heel'd shoes!
1853 ‘C. Bede’ Adventures Mr. Verdant Green vii. 56 A gentleman clad in tartan-plaid.
1869 E. A. Parkes Man. Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3) 403 One pair of tartan trousers in rifle regiments.
b.
tartan-purry n. Scottish regional see quots.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > puddings > [noun] > other puddings
alker1381
moile1381
tansyc1450
tansy-cakea1475
hasty pudding1598
hodge-puddinga1616
bread pudding1623
marrowbone pudding1623
marrow-pudding1631
turmeric puddinga1704
Indian pudding1722
Westminster fool1723
pease pudding1725
pone1725
bread and butter pudding1727
custard pudding1727
purry1751
tartan-purry1751
tansy-pudding1769
vermicelli pudding1769
skimmer-cake1795
dogsbody1818
kugel1823
stickjaw1827
kheer1832
pea pudding1844
dough1848
mousseline1876
mousse1885
goose-pudding1892
payasam1892
tartan1893
malva puddinga1981
1751 W. Forbes Dominie Deposed (ed. 10) ii. 11 Tartan, Purry [1765 Tartan-purry], Meal and Bree, Or buttry Brose.
1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gloss. Tartan purry, a sort of pudding made of red colewort chipped small, and mixed with oatmeal.
1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 52 Some ran to parritch, some to kail;..And some to tartan-purry.
1866 T. Edmondston Etymol. Gloss. Shetland & Orkney Dial. 126 Tart-and-purrie, porridge made with the water in which cabbage has been boiled.
c. Used loosely in various transferred and figurative collocations to designate something pertaining to Scotland or which evokes Scottish nationalist fervour.
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the world > the earth > named regions of earth > Europe > British Isles > Scotland > [adjective]
ScottisheOE
Scots1346
Scotch1407
Albanian1565
Scotian1607
Caledonian1656
Albanic1789
tartan1954
1954 J. P. Barter (title) Ritchie; or, behind the Tartan Curtain.
1975 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 27 Sept. 6/6 The British press has taken extreme care to avoid the suggestion that the activities of the ‘Tartan Army’ are linked to the legitimate national movement embodied in the Scottish National Party.
1976 Listener 28 Oct. 555/2 Radio 3's Scottish Evening... Overall there was a blessed absence of..Tartan Romanticism.
1982 Times 9 Jan. 6/1 Almost all Scottish MPs..are Scots by birth... It is not simply raw xenophobic tartan nationalism.
Draft additions December 2002
tartan tax n. British Politics (freq. depreciative) (also with capital initials) tax raised by an (originally putative) Scottish assembly after devolution, usually with reference to such tax being potentially higher than that raised by Westminster.
ΚΠ
1992 Scotsman 11 Mar. 5/1 (headline) Heseltine makes tartan tax claim... ‘Labour in Scotland would use their half baked scheme for a tax raising Scottish parliament to tax the people of Scotland more highly than the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland—Labour's very own tartan tax.’
2002 Evening News (Edinb.) (Electronic ed.) 23 May Many of the SNP's current policies may be to the left of Labour—scrapping nuclear weapons, opposing the private finance initiative and being ready to use the tartan tax.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
tartantartanen.2
/ˈtɑːt(ə)n/, U.S. /ˈtɑrtn/ A small one-masted vessel with a large lateen sail and a foresail, used in the Mediterranean; = tartana n.1
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel propelled by sail > [noun] > with specific rig > lateen-rigged > types of
settee1587
tartana1588
tartan1621
jerm1632
pattamar1704
dhow1799
sackalever1819
1621 High Court of Admiralty Exam. No. 43. 24 Aug. A small vessel called a tartain flotinge and driveinge to and fro in the sea.
1666 London Gaz. No. 77/2 A small Tartane arrived here two daies since from Provence.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World iii. 30 Captain Wright..had taken a Spanish Tartan, wherein were 30 men, all well armed.
1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. III. 355 A Turkish Tartane, with red colours, emblazoned with three crescents, &c. was performing quarantine.
1805 Wilkes in Mem. II. 171 I could not go in a small tartan without some one friend.
1896 E. A. Vizetelly tr. E. Zola Rome ix. 295 The few tartanes which brought wine from Sicily, never came higher than the Aventine.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
tartann.3
rare. Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.
= tartana n.3
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society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > [noun] > covered > other types
bathing-machine1771
Coburg1824
tartana1829
bathing-hut1838
tartan1858
1858 P. L. Simmonds Dict. Trade Products Tartan,..a long covered carriage.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
tartann.4
The ancient Assyrian commander-in-chief.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > [noun] > commander-in-chief > of specific forces
shogun1615
strategos1616
polemarch1656
seraskier1684
stratege1744
tartan1880
1880 T. K. Cheyne Prophecies of Isaiah (1884) I. 16 No Satraps nor Tartans are necessary.
1893 A. H. Sayce Higher Crit. (1894) 427 The ‘tartan’ of Sargon entered Jerusalem and forced Hezekiah to become his tributary.
1899 T. Nicol Recent Archæol. & Bible vii. 255 The Tartan fought against Ashdod and took it.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
tartanv.
transitive. To clothe or array in tartan; also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > providing with clothing > provide with clothing [verb (transitive)] > in specific way > in specific pattern
tartan1881
1881 J. F. Campbell in Ld. A. Campbell Rec. Argyll (1885) 441 I was first tartaned, more than fifty years ago.
Derivatives
tartaned adj. /ˈtɑːtənd/ clothed in tartan, wearing tartans.
/ˈtɑːtənd/ clothed in tartan, wearing tartans.ΚΠ
1813 J. Hogg Queen's Wake iii. xvi. 297 Tartaned chiefs in raptures hear The strains, the words, to them so dear.
1875 A. Smith New Hist. Aberdeenshire I. 656 The crested chief led on his tartaned band.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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n.1?a1500
n.21621
n.31858n.41880v.1813