tab

tab1 [ tæb ] noun count

1. ) a part that sticks out of something and that you can pull in order to make something happen:

Pull the tab to open the cartridge.

a ) a metal ring that is part of the lid of a can. When you pull up on the ring, the lid comes off. British usually ring-pull

b ) AMERICAN a label attached to clothing or other material and that gives information about it

2. ) tab or tab key a button on a computer keyboard or TYPEWRITER that you press to move several spaces along the same line

3. ) a bill for the cost of a meal or drinks that you have bought

a ) an amount that you owe, for example the cost of a hotel room, restaurant meals, and services:

put something on someone's tab: Can you put these drinks on my tab?

4. ) VERY INFORMAL a TABLET containing an illegal drug, especially LSD

keep (close) tabs on INFORMAL

to watch someone carefully to see what they do, or watch something carefully

pick up the tab INFORMAL

to pay for something

tab

tab 2 [ tæb ] verb

1. ) intransitive to press the tab key on a computer keyboard

2. ) transitive to attach a small label to a page or document:

The documents were bound and tabbed as requested.

3. ) transitive usually passive AMERICAN to choose someone for a particular job, responsibility, or honor:

Even from his early days, he was tabbed as a future leader.