subs. (old).—To flog; to thrash. Hence TANNING = a beating. Also TO TAN ONE’S HIDE.

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  [?].  Robin Hood and Tanner [CHILD, Ballads, v. 229].

          Tan.  If he be so stout, we will have a bout,
  And he shall TAN MY HIDE too.

2

  1731.  COFFEY, The Devil to Pay, Sc. 5. Come and spin, you Drab, or I’ll TAN YOUR HIDE for you.

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  1862.  E. WOOD, The Channings, I. v. The master couldn’t TAN him for not doing it.

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  1884.  S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, v. ‘I’ll lay for you, my smarty; and if I catch you about that school I’ll TAN you good.’

5

  TO SMELL OF THE TAN, verb. phr. (literary).—To smack of the ring; to be circussy: cf. LAMP.

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