tattoo

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: tat=too
• COUNT in NET: 1 in 1 verses (in OT : 1 in 1 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

tattoo, n. [Earlier taptoo, D. taptoe; tap a tap, faucet + toe to, shut (i. e., the taps, or drinking houses, shut from the soldiers).].

 A beat of drum, or sound of a trumpet or bugle, at night, giving notice to soldiers to retreat, or to repair to their quarters in garrison, or to their tents in camp.  [1913 Webster]

The Devil's tattoo. See under Devil.

tattoo, v. t. [Of Polynesian origin; cf. New Zealand ta to tattoo, tatu puncturation (in Otaheite).].

 To color, as the flesh, by pricking in coloring matter, so as to form marks or figures which can not be washed out.  [1913 Webster]

tattoo, n. 

 An indelible mark or figure made by puncturing the skin and introducing some pigment into the punctures; -- a mode of ornamentation practiced by various barbarous races, both in ancient and modern times, and also by some among civilized nations, especially by sailors.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tattoo, n.
1 an evening drum or bugle signal recalling soldiers to their quarters.
2 an elaboration of this with music and marching, presented as an entertainment.
3 a rhythmic tapping or drumming.

tattoo, v. & n.
--v.tr. (tattoos, tattooed)
1 mark (the skin) with an indelible design by puncturing it and inserting pigment.
2 make (a design) in this way.
--n. a design made by tattooing.

Derivative

tattooer n. tattooist n.

Etymology

Polynesian

THESAURUS

tattoo

band, bang, bar, barrage, bash, bat, bay, beat, beating, beep, belt, bespangle, bespeckle, bespot, biff, birthmark, blare, blast, blat, blaze, blaze a trail, blemish, blotch, blow, bonk, bowshot, brand, bray, bullet, cannon, caste mark, ceaselessness, chalk, chalk up, chattering, check, check off, checker, checkmark, chop, cicatrix, cicatrize, clip, clout, clump, constancy, constant flow, continualness, continuity, crack, cut, dapple, dash, define, delimit, demarcate, detonation, dig, dint, discharge, discolor, discoloration, dot, drizzle, drub, drubbing, drum, drum music, drumbeat, drumfire, drumming, earmark, ejection, engrave, engraving, fall, fanfare, flake, fleck, flick, flourish of trumpets, flutter, freckle, fusillade, gash, graving, gun, gunfire, gunshot, hack, harlequin, hatch, hit, honk, impress, imprint, incessancy, iris, jab, jot, knock, lentigo, lick, line, macula, maculate, make a mark, marble, marbleize, mark, mark off, mark out, marking, mizzle, mole, motley, mottle, nevus, nick, noninterruption, notch, oscillation, palpitation, paradiddle, patch, patter, peal, pelt, pencil, pepper, perpetuity, pitapat, pitter-patter, plunk, point, poke, polka dot, polychrome, polychromize, potshot, pound, pounding, pour, pour with rain, precipitate, prick, print, pulsation, punch, punctuate, puncture, quick fire, rain, rain tadpoles, rainbow, rap, rapid fire, rapid recurrence, rapid succession, rapidity, rat-a-tat, rat-tat, rat-tat-tat, rataplan, rattattoo, regularity, repetition, riddle, roll, rub-a-dub, ruff, ruffle, salvo, scar, scarification, scarify, score, scotch, scratch, scratching, seal, seam, shot, shower, shower down, shriek, slam, slog, slug, smack, smash, sock, spangle, spatter, speck, speckle, spit, splash, splotch, splutter, spot, spray, sprinkle, sputter, squeal, staccato, stain, stamp, steadiness, stigma, stigmatize, stipple, stoneshot, strawberry mark, streak, stream, striate, stripe, stroke, stud, stuttering, sustainment, swat, swing, swipe, tantara, tantarara, taps, tarantara, tat-tat, tattoo mark, tessellate, throb, throbbing, thrum, thump, thumping, thwack, tick, tick off, tittle, tom-tom, toot, tootle, trace, trumpet, trumpet blast, trumpet call, tweedle, underline, underscore, unintermission, uninterruption, variegate, vein, vibration, volley, watermark, weep, whack, whistle, whop, yerk

ROGET THESAURUS

tattoo

Command

N command, order, ordinance, act, fiat, hukm, bidding, dictum, hest, behest, call, beck, nod, despatch, dispatch, message, direction, injunction, charge, instructions, appointment, fixture, demand, exaction, imposition, requisition, claim, reclamation, revendication, ultimatum, request, requirement, dictation, dictate, mandate, caveat, decree, senatus consultum, precept, prescript, rescript, writ, ordination, bull, ex cathedra pronouncement, edict, decretal, dispensation, prescription, brevet, placit, ukase, ukaz, firman, hatti- sherif, warrant, passport, mittimus, mandamus, summons, subpoena, nisi prius, interpellation, citation, word, word of command, mot d'ordre, bugle call, trumpet call, beat of drum, tattoo, order of the day, enactment, plebiscite, commanding, authoritative, decretory, decretive, decretal, callable, jussive, in a commanding tone, by a stroke of the pen, by a dash of the pen, by order, at beat of drum, on the first summons, the decree is gone forth, sic volo sic jubeo, le Roi le veut, boutez en avant.

Roll

N roll, drumming, berloque, bombination, rumbling, tattoo, drumroll, dingdong, tantara, rataplan, whirr, ratatat, ratatat-tat, rubadub, pitapat, quaver, clutter, charivari, racket, cuckoo, repetition, peal of bells, devil's tattoo, reverberation, clickety-clack, hum, purr, hummingbird, cat, kitten (animal sounds), rolling, monotonous, like a bee in a bottle.

Variegation

VB be variegated, variegate, stripe, streak, checker, chequer, bespeckle, speckle, besprinkle, sprinkle, stipple, maculate, dot, bespot, tattoo, inlay, damascene, embroider, braid, quilt.