Tallow is hard animal fat that is used for making candles and soap.
tallow in British English
(ˈtæləʊ)
noun
1.
a fatty substance consisting of a mixture of glycerides, including stearic, palmitic, and oleic acids and extracted chiefly from the suet of sheep and cattle: used for making soap, candles, food, etc
verb
2. (transitive)
to cover or smear with tallow
Derived forms
tallowy (ˈtallowy)
adjective
Word origin
Old English tælg, a dye; related to Middle Low German talch tallow, Dutch talk, Icelandic tólg
tallow in American English
(ˈtæloʊ)
noun
1.
the nearly colorless and tasteless solid fat extracted from the natural fat of cattle, sheep, etc., used in making candles,soaps, lubricants, etc.
see also vegetable tallow
verb transitive
2.
to cover or smear with tallow
Derived forms
tallowy (ˈtallowy)
adjective
Word origin
ME talgh, prob. < MLowG talg, akin to OE tælg, a color, telgan, to color, prob. < IE base *del-, to drip > MIr delt, dew
Examples of 'tallow' in a sentence
tallow
She whirled round as a tinder flickered and the thick tallow candles on the table in the far corner flared into life.
Grace, C.L A SHRINE OF MURDERS (2002)
The fire was waning, the candle was fattening in its sheath of tallow, the room was getting colder.
Heller, Keith MAN'S LOVING FAMILY (2002)
An escort of armed soldiers stood next to the man in his long red cloak, holding aloft a tallow lantern.
Fidelis Morgan THE RIVAL QUEENS: A COUNTESS ASHBY DE LA ZOUCHE MYSTERY (2002)
Plus we have beef cattle for food, and the old wethers and ewes go for hides, glue, tallow, lanolin-all war staples.