sb. Forms: 7 tarpaulling, tarr pawlin, tarrpawling, tarpolin, -paling, -palin, (-pallion), 7–8 -pawlin, 7–9 -pawling, -pauling, 7- tarpaulin. [Generally thought to be f. TAR sb. + PALL sb.1 + -ING1 1 f, g (as in netting, grating, and cf. AWNING).
The blackness of tarred canvas may have suggested its likeness to a funeral pall; though, in the absence of any instance of tar-pall, this origin must remain conjectural.]
1. A covering or sheet of canvas coated or impregnated with tar so as to make it waterproof, used to spread over anything to protect it from wet. Also, without a or pl., canvas so tarred; sometimes applied to other kinds of waterproof cloth.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, IV. i. On the one [wall] I strain me a fair tarpauling, and in that I stick my onions, cut in halves.
a. 1625. Manwayring, Nomencl. Naval. (Harl. MS. 2301). Tarpawling, is a peece of Canvas that is tar’d all over to Lash upon a Deck or Grating to keepe the Raine from Soaking through.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 30. A trar-pawling [sic] or yawning.
1652. Ashmole, Theat. Chem. Brit., Prol. 12. To Hang a Presence Chamber with Tarpalin, instead of Tapestry.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. 68. I made me a large Tent, and cover’d the uppermost with a large Tarpaulin which I had sav’d among the Sails.
1800. Colquhoun, Comm. Thames, 639. Each Lighter is furnished with a Tarpaulin to protect the Cargo from damage.
1890. W. J. Gordon, Foundry, 150. In the days when the London and Birmingham Railway considered it so beneath their dignity to carry coals to London that they introduced tarpaulins for the purpose of hiding the vulgar freight of which they were ashamed.
b. A sailor’s hat made of tarpaulin.
1841. in Totten, Naval Text-Bk. (Webster).
1845. S. Judd, Margaret, II. xi. A burly fellow in a tarpauling and blue jacket.
1849. Melville, Redburn, xliv. 274. It was to assume duck trowsers and tarpaulin, and gallantly cross the Atlantic as a sailor.
1858. in Simmonds, Dict. Trade.
2. transf. A nickname for a mariner or sailor, esp. a common sailor. Now rare or arch. (Cf. TARPAULIAN, TAR sb. 3.)
1647. Cleveland, Char. Diurnal-maker, Wks. (1687), 82. He is a perfect Sea-man, a kind of Tarpawlin.
1660. Howell, Parly Beasts, 12. To be a Mariner, or Tarpaling, is one of the most servile and slavish condition of life that can be.
1687. Settle, Refl. Dryden, 21. He was too blame for making his Hametalhaz a Courtier and no Tarpolin.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack, i. Every tarpawling, if he gets but to be lieutenant of a press smack, is called captain.
1849. Dickens, Dav. Copp., xxi. What does this here blessed tarpaulin go and do?
1893. Stevenson, Catriona, xxx. 366. The seamen pursued us…. They were but bandy-legged tarpaulins after all.
b. Formerly applied to a sea-bred superior officer (captain, etc.) as contrasted with the military officers often appointed to command men-of-war. (Cf. 3 b.) In quot. 1909 erron. taken as = ‘ranker.’
c. 1690. R. Gibson (B. M. Add. MS. 11602, lf. 40). Upon the Different Conduct between Seamen and Gentlemen Commanders in ye Navy (not bredd Tarr Pawlins) since 1652.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xvi. III. 716. There was an end of privilege if an Earl was to be doomed to death by tarpaulins seated round a table in the cabin of a ship.
1894. C. N. Robinson, Brit. Fleet, 347. Drake and his brother tarpaulins.
1909. Naval Warrant Officers’ Jrnl., Dec., 138/2. It would have been deeply interesting had Mr. Hannay en passant designated those Admirals and Captains who were called ‘Tarpaulins’ because of their ranker origin. Ibid. Captain James Cook, the explorer, Captain C. Askew, and Captain J. Coglan are three of many names of ‘Tarpaulins’ which might be cited.
3. attrib. a. in sense 1: Made of tarpaulin.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., xiii. 61. A plug lapped in Okum, and well tarred in a tarpawling clout.
1688. in Daniell’s Catal. Autograph Lett. (1904), July, 30/2. Yesterday my Ld. Chancellour was taken at Wapping in a tarpalin habitt.
1832. C. M. Goodridge, Voy. South Seas, 25. Carefully secured from the damp in a tarpawling bag.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple, xliii. There’s many a clear head under a tarpaulin hat.
b. in sense 2 or 2 b: Of, belonging to, or that is, a mariner or sailor; sea-bred. Now rare.
1647. Ward, Simp. Cobler, 16. A shamefull sliding into other such tarpauling tenets.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 221. A learned vote that any Tarpawlin Marriner might have nulled.
c. 1690. R. Gibson (B. M. Add. MS. 11602, lf. 47). I finde many Accidents to have happened for want or Tarrpawling Commanders or Gentlemen throughly acquainted with Maritime Affaires.
1692. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), II. 354. Divers tarpawlin masters of ships recommended by the Trinity house, have passed examination in order to be received into the King’s service.
1696. in Ab. De la Pryme’s Diary (Surtees), 278. Chattam, a small tarpaulin town, joyning to Rochester.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, III. 222. John Young, the tarpawling governor of Owyhee.
1889. Doyle, Micah Clarke, 23. He was one of the old tarpaulin breed, who had fought … against Frenchman, Don, Dutchman, and Moor.
4. Comb., as tarpaulin-maker, -covered adj.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Tarpaulin-manufacturer, one who oils or tars canvas for covers.
1897. Outing (U.S.), XXX. 261/2. A tarpaulin-covered box or tackle belonging to Harry.
1907. Daily Chron., 25 Oct., 7/2. A young tarpaulin-maker of nineteen.
Hence Tarpaulin v., trans. to cover with a tarpaulin; intr. to shelter oneself under a tarpaulin; Tarpaulined a., covered with a tarpaulin.
1882. ‘F. Anstey,’ Vice Versâ, xvi. Some tarpaulined cattle-vans.
1891. Const. MacEwen, 3 Women in 1 Boat, 85. We discussed whether we would ‘tarpaulin’ there for the night.
1894. Outing (U. S.), XXIV. 376/2. We had another boat, but it was housed and tarpaulined on deck.
