To catch a tartar, to lay hold of, or encounter, a person who proves
too strong for the assailant. [Colloq.]
Tar"tar, a. Of or pertaining to Tartary in Asia, or the Tartars.
Tar"tar, n. [Cf. F. tartare.] See Tartarus. Shak.
Tar"tar*a`ted (?), a. (Chem.) Tartrated.
{ Tar*ta"re*an (?), Tar*ta"re*ous (?), } a. [L. tartareus: cf. F.
tartaréen.] Of or pertaining to Tartarus; hellish.
Tar*ta"re*ous, a. [Cf. 1st Tartarous.] 1. Consisting of tartar; of the
nature of tartar.
2. (Bot.) Having the surface rough and crumbling; as, many lichens are
tartareous.
{ Tar*ta"ri*an (?), Tar*tar"ic (?), } a. Of or pertaining to Tartary in
Asia, or the Tartars.
Tartarian lamb (Bot.), Scythian lamb. See Barometz.
Tar*ta"ri*an (?), n. (Bot.) The name of some kinds of cherries, as the
Black Tartarian, or the White Tartarian.
Tar*tar"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to tartar; derived from, or
resembling, tartar.
Tartaric acid. (a) An acid widely diffused throughout the vegetable
kingdom, as in grapes, mountain-ash berries, etc., and obtained from
tartar as a white crystalline substance, C2H2(OH)2.(CO2H)2, having a
strong pure acid taste. It is used in medicine, in dyeing, calico
printing, photography, etc., and also as a substitute for lemon juice.
Called also dextro-tartaric acid. (b) By extension, any one of the
series of isomeric acids (racemic acid, levotartaric acid, inactive
tartaric acid) of which tartaric acid proper is the type.
Tar"tar*ine (?), n. (Old Chem.) Potassium carbonate, obtained by the
incineration of tartar. [Obs.]
Tar"tar*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tartarized (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Tartarizing (?).] [Cf. F. tartariser.] (Chem.) To impregnate with, or
subject to the action of, tartar. [R.]
Tartarized antimony (Med. Chem.), tartar emetic.
Tar"tar*ize (?), v. t. To cause to resemble the Tartars and their
civilization, as by conquest.
Tar"tar*ous (?), a. [Cf. F. tartareux.] Containing tartar; consisting
of tartar, or partaking of its qualities; tartareous.
Tar"tar*ous (?), a. Resembling, or characteristic of, a Tartar;
ill-natured; irritable.
The Tartarous moods of common men.
B. Jonson.
Tar"ta*rum (?), n. (Chem.) See 1st Tartar.
Tar"ta*rus (tär"t*rs), n. [L., from Gr. Ta`rtaros.] (Class. Myth.) The
infernal regions, described in the Iliad as situated as far below Hades
as heaven is above the earth, and by later writers as the place of
punishment for the spirits of the wicked. By the later poets, also, the
name is often used synonymously with Hades, or the Lower World in
general.
Tar"ta*ry (?), n. Tartarus. [Obs.] Spenser.
<! p. 1476 !>
Tar*ti"ni's tones` (?). [From Tartini, an Italian violinist, who
discovered them in 1754.] See the Note under Tone.
Tart"ish (?), a. Somewhat tart.
Tart"let (?), n. A small tart. V. Knox.
Tart"ly, adv. In a tart manner; with acidity.
Tart"ness, n. The quality or state of being tart.
Syn. — Acrimony; sourness; keenness; poignancy; severity; asperity;
acerbity; harshness. See Acrimony.
Tar*tral"ic (?), a. [From Tartar the chemical compound.] (Chem.)
Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained as a white amorphous
deliquescent substance, C8H10O11; — called also ditartaric, tartrilic,
or tartrylic acid.
Tar*tram"ate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of tartramic acid.
Tar*tram"ic (?), a. [Tarto- + amic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or
designating, an acid which is the primary acid amide derivative of
tartaric acid.
Tar*tram"ide (?), n. [Tarto- + amide.] (Chem.) An acid amide derivative
of tartaric acid, obtained as a white crystalline substance.
Tar"trate (?), n. [Cf. F. tartrate.] (Chem.) A salt of tartaric acid.
Tar"tra`ted (?), a. (Med. Chem.) Containing, or derived from, tartar;
combined with tartaric acid.
Tar"tra*zine (?), n. [Tartaric + hydrazine.] (Chem.) An artificial
dyestuff obtained as an orange-yellow powder, and regarded as a phenyl
hydrazine derivative of tartaric and sulphonic acids.
Tar*trel"ic (?), a. [From Tartar the chemical compound.] (Chem.) Of,
pertaining to, or designating, an anhydride, C4H4O5, of tartaric acid,
obtained as a white crystalline deliquescent substance.
Tar"tro-. A combining form (also used adjectively) used in chemistry to
denote the presence of tartar or of some of its compounds or
derivatives.
Tar"tro*nate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of tartronic acid.
Tar*tron"ic (?), a. [Tartro- + malonic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or
designating, an organic acid (called also hydroxy malonic acid)
obtained, by reducing mesoxalic acid, as a white crystalline substance.
Tar"tro*nyl (?), n. [Tartronic + - yl.] (Chem.) A hypothetical radical
constituting the characteristic residue of tartronic acid and certain
of its derivatives.
Tar`tro*vin"ic (?), a. [Tartro- + vinic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or
designating, a certain acid composed of tartaric acid in combination
with ethyl, and now called ethyltartaric acid.
{ Tar*tuffe", Tar*tufe" } (?), n. [F. tartufe.] A hypocritical devotee.
See the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.
{ Tar*tuff"ish, Tar*tuf"ish, } a. Like a tartuffe; precise;
hypocritical. Sterne.
Tar"weed` (?), n. (Bot.) A name given to several resinous-glandular
composite plants of California, esp. to the species of Grindelia,
Hemizonia, and Madia.
Tas (?), n. [F.] A heap. [Obs.] "The tas of bodies slain." Chaucer.
Tas, v. t. To tassel. [Obs.] "A purse of leather tassed with silk."
Chaucer.
Tas"co (?), n. [Cf. Sp. tasconio.] A kind of clay for making melting
pots. Percy Smith.
Ta*sim"er (t*sm"*tr), n. [Gr. ta`sis stretching, extension (from
tei`nein to stretch) + -meter.] (Physics) An instrument for detecting
or measuring minute extensions or movements of solid bodies. It
consists essentially of a small rod, disk, or button of carbon, forming
part of an electrical circuit, the resistance of which, being varied by
the changes of pressure produced by the movements of the object to be
measured, causes variations in the strength of the current, which
variations are indicated by a sensitive galvanometer. It is also used
for measuring minute changes of temperature. T. A. Edison.
Task (tsk), n. [OE. taske, OF. tasque, F. tâche, for tasche, LL. tasca,
taxa, fr. L. taxare to rate, appraise, estimate. See Tax, n. & v.] 1.
Labor or study imposed by another, often in a definite quantity or
amount.
Ma task of servile toil.
Milton.
Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close.
Longfellow.