tat
1 of 5verb (1)
ˈtat 
tatted; tatting
intransitive verb
: to work at tatting
transitive verb
: to make by tatting
tat
2 of 5noun (1)
ˈtat
variants or Tat
: a small protein produced by a lentivirus (such as HIV) that greatly increases the rate of viral transcription and replication and enhances the susceptibility of T cells to infection
also : the viral gene that codes for the tat protein
tat
3 of 5noun (2)
ˈtat
chiefly US slang
: a tattoo on a person's skin
He pulls up his shirt to show us his tats.
Dave Eggers
Dave Eggerstat
4 of 5verb (2)
tatted; tatting
transitive verb
1
chiefly US slang : to mark or color the skin with tattoos : tattoo
The benefit of getting tatted at a festival is that you have more than 200 artists from which to choose. Kellie Hwang
—often used with up Kellie Hwang … say you're not a gang member, yet hang out with gang members, get tatted up with gang symbols or nicknames … Kimberly Edds
Kimberly Edds2
chiefly US slang : to mark (something) with something like a tattoo
Cargo trains, all rusted and tatted with graffiti, occasionally pass on the neighboring track. Kara Starzyk
—often used with up Kara Starzyk My passport got tatted up pretty good this year. I hit a dozen countries on five continents, as well as eight states. — The Chicago Sun-Times
TAT
5 of 5abbreviation
thematic apperception test
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
back-formation from tatting
Noun (1)
trans-activating transcriptional regulation
Noun (2)
by shortening
First Known Use
Verb (1)
1858, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun (1)
1985, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1981, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
circa 1982, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing tat
Medical Definition
tat 1 of 2
noun
ˈtat
often capitalized
1
: a small protein produced by a lentivirus (as HIV) within infected cells that greatly increases the rate of viral transcription and replication and that is also secreted extracellularly where it plays a role in increasing viral replication in newly infected cells and in enhancing the susceptibility of T cells to infection
called also tat protein
2
: the viral gene that codes for the tat protein
TAT
2 of 2abbreviation
thematic apperception test