tab

Etymology 1

First attested 1607, of uncertain origin.

noun

1. A small flap or strip of material attached to something, for holding, manipulation, identification, opening etc.
   We lifted the tabs on the cans and poured the brew carefully into glasses. 2010, Peter Corris, Torn Apart, Allen and Unwin, page 18
2. (slang) An ear.
3. (by extension, graphical user interface) A navigational widget, resembling a physical tab, for switching between documents or sets of controls.
4. (graphical user interface) The page or form associated with such a navigational widget.
   How many tabs are open in your Web browser?
5. (British Army, military slang) A fast march or run with full kit.

verb

1. (transitive) To affix with tabs; to label.

Etymology 2

Apocopation (shortening) of (variously) tabulate, tabulator, or tabulation.

noun

1. (informal, chiefly Canada, US) A restaurant bill.
2. (informal, chiefly Canada, US) Credit account, e.g., in a shop or bar; slate
   Put this round on my tab, please, barman.
3. (by extension) The cost or bill for anything.
   Moreover, at a tab of $9 million, the system's price is about $1 million less than a conventional heating-cooling plant […] 1984, Time, volume 123, number 1
4. (computing) A space character that extends to the next aligned column, traditionally used for tabulation.

verb

1. (computing) To use the Tab key on a computer to advance the cursor or move the input focus, or on a typewriter to advance the carriage.
   You can prevent a control from getting the focus when the user is tabbing between controls by settings its IsTabStop property to False. 2010, Chris Anderson, Pro Business Applications with Silverlight 4, page 210

Etymology 3

Likely to have been formed by clipping the Geordie pronunciation of the word tobacco or alternatively from the brand name Ogden's Tabs.

noun

1. (Tyneside and Mackem) A cigarette.
   Lend us a tab!

Etymology 4

Clipping of tablature

noun

1. A form of musical notation indicating fingering rather than the pitch of notes, commonly used for stringed instruments.

Etymology 5

Clipping of Cantab, from Cantabrigian, from Latin Cantabrigia (“Cambridge”).

noun

1. (Oxbridge slang) A student of Cambridge University.
   You should have been there---it was a good race. Just to clarify matters for the hard of understanding, the tabs led for about 1500m before turning to shrapnel, and Oxford eventually won by 3/4 length. 1995-01-20, Paul Thomas, “Re: >Re: Those 'orrible Tabs”, in rec.sport.rowing (Usenet)
   Before Rachel gets in with a stab at the Tabs' coxing efforts, may I say that my experience of coxes on the Isis is somewhat similar. 1995-02-07, "Laser Cartridge" [username], “Re: Cambridge News, again.”, in rec.sport.rowing (Usenet)
   Plus, there's always been a healthy rivalry between the tabs and us, but I'm sure this has nothing to do with it ;-) 1998-01-17, whitey [username], “Re: Tab bashing (was University Challenge - Its pish)”, in rec.arts.tv.uk.misc (Usenet)
   I hope the Tabs get beaten! :-) I support Oxford for no real reason but they have a bad habit of losing to Cambridge recently. 2002-03-27, The Guv'nor [username], “Re: My target this week was...”, in uk.rec.bodybuilding (Usenet)
   I have nothing against the girl (other than the fact she's a tab!), but it does strike me as a little daft!! 2002-03-29, Caroline Smith, “Re: Lifejackets thread returns... [was Re: Boat Race]”, in rec.sport.rowing (Usenet)
   Anybody know who won? ¶ Or should that be, how much did the Tabs win by? ;-) 2006-03-30, JY [username], “Veterans Boat Race (that's Oxford, England vs Cambridge, England)”, in rec.sport.rowing (Usenet)

Etymology 6

Clipping of tabloid.

noun

1. (colloquial) A tabloid newspaper.
   By 1926 the tabloid mania was at full tilt, and the tabs in New York went at each other with hammer and tong. 1999, George H. Douglas, The Golden Age of the Newspaper, page 229
   That is the attitude of the tabs: they cover the world's most important city. 2010, Robert Lusetich, Unplayable: An Inside Account of Tiger's Most Tumultuous Season

Etymology 7

Clipping of tablet.

noun

1. (informal) A tablet, especially one containing illicit drugs.
   Tonight the kids will go out and party down in a more righteous mode. Alcohol and not a few tabs of X will be ingested. Club music will throb through big speakers. 2008, Stephen King, Graduation Weekend

Etymology 8

noun

1. (informal, theater) A tableau curtain.