tab
/tæb/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈæb] /tæb/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈæb] /ˈtab/ (ame, mw)
tab — noun
- tabsingular
- tabsplural
1. a small projecting flap or strip added to an item such as a folder, an envelope,
a small projecting flap or strip added to an item such as a folder, an envelope, or a piece of clothing, used for labelling it, keeping it shut, or pulling it open
Soraya pulled the tab on the manila folder to read the name printed on it.
pull the tab + folder/label context
The zipper on his jacket came with a small leather tab that was easy to grasp.
Each file in the cabinet has a coloured tab at the top showing the year.
A metal tab on the back of the photo frame lets you open it to insert a picture.
The librarian attached a plastic tab to each magazine to keep the issues organised.
2. a ring-shaped piece of metal on the lid of a drinks can; you pull it up with you
a ring-shaped piece of metal on the lid of a drinks can; you pull it up with your finger to break the seal and open the can
Hoa pulled the tab on her can of soda and heard a satisfying hiss of air.
pull the tab to open a can
The tab broke off before Beatrix could open the can of beans.
Some drink cans now come with a tab that stays attached after you open them.
Vivek collected the tabs from empty cans to donate to a charity recycling scheme.
用法筆記
Often called a 'ring pull' or 'ring tab' in British English.
3. a cigarette
a cigarette
Emre stepped outside and asked his colleague if she had a spare tab.
informal British slang: a tab = a cigarette
The old man tapped a tab from his packet and lit it with a match.
Joaquín's grandmother would never buy a fresh pack; she rolled her own tabs.
A group of teenagers stood behind the school building sharing a single tab.
用法筆記
This use is informal and most common in British English. In other varieties the word 'cig' or 'fag' (also informal) is more typical.
4. a tiny square of paper treated with LSD that you take by mouth, or any small pil
a tiny square of paper treated with LSD that you take by mouth, or any small pill-sized portion of an illegal substance meant for a single dose
Police found several tabs of LSD hidden inside a book during the search.
tab of LSD / tab + drug context
The documentary warned young people about the dangers of buying a single tab from an unknown source.
Each tab was stamped with a tiny picture of a smiley face.
Adolescents in the 1960s often spoke of dropping a tab before going to a concert.
用法筆記
This sense is slang and strongly associated with recreational drug culture. In medical contexts a 'tab' can also mean a small tablet of medicine, but that use is far less common.
5. a separate page or area inside a web browser or software program that you can op
a separate page or area inside a web browser or software program that you can open, close, and switch between by clicking on its name or symbol at the top of the window
Anna had fifteen browser tabs open on her laptop and could not find the right one.
open / close a browser tab
To compare prices, open each shop's website in a separate tab.
The browser tab showed a small speaker icon because a video was playing on that page.
Greta closed the tab she no longer needed and the computer ran much faster.
Moving a tab to a new window is easy: just drag it away from the top bar.
- page
broader term; a tab contains a page but not every page opens in a tab
用法筆記
In web browsers, tabs are now the standard way to view multiple pages at once, replacing separate windows.
6. a keyboard key that shifts the cursor forward to a preset spot on a typed line,
a keyboard key that shifts the cursor forward to a preset spot on a typed line, or that spot itself where the cursor arrives after you press the key
Press the tab key to move the cursor to the next column in the table.
press the tab key to move cursor
The spreadsheet already has a tab set every two centimetres for the data columns.
Ziad adjusted the tab stops in his document so the numbers lined up neatly.
Holding down the tab key fills the page with a series of small jumps.
用法筆記
The word 'tab' can refer to the key itself, the action of pressing it ('a tab'), or the position on the ruler ('a tab stop').
常見錯誤
7. a statement of the money that you owe for food, drinks, or other services receiv
a statement of the money that you owe for food, drinks, or other services received, especially in a restaurant, hotel, or bar
Valentina asked the waiter for the tab after finishing her meal.
ask for the tab = ask for the bill
The hotel let Maeve run a tab at the bar and pay everything at check-out.
run a tab (pay later)
Tyler put the whole dinner on his tab and his friends paid him back later.
Who is going to pick up the tab for this rather expensive celebration dinner?
The bar manager added up their tab and handed them a printed receipt.
用法筆記
In American English 'tab' is very common for a restaurant bill. In British English 'bill' is more frequent, though 'tab' is used for running accounts at bars.
8. a tabloid newspaper, printed on small pages and often featuring sensational stor
a tabloid newspaper, printed on small pages and often featuring sensational stories about famous people and crime
Hyun picked up a tab from the newsstand to read about the celebrity scandal.
tab = tabloid newspaper (shortened form)
The front page of the tab showed a blurry photo of the singer leaving the courthouse.
Compared to broadsheet papers, a tab uses shorter articles and bigger pictures.
Adina refuses to believe anything she reads in the daily tabs because the stories are often made up.
- tabloid
the full form of the word
- rag
informal and strongly negative; suggests very poor quality journalism
- gutter press
a strongly negative collective term for sensationalist newspapers
- broadsheet
a newspaper printed on large paper, seen as more serious and trustworthy
用法筆記
This is an abbreviation of 'tabloid'. It may be used disparagingly to imply low journalistic standards.