Etymology First attested 1607, of uncertain origin.
1
A small flap or strip of material attached to or inserted into something, for holding, manipulation, identification, opening etc.
insert tab A into slot B
"His name was written upon a tab within it - Maple White, Lake Avenue, Detroit, Michigan."1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
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He pulls off his belt, cursing as the studs catch in the tabs of his jeans.1994 [1993], Irvine Welsh, “Station to Station”, in Trainspotting, London: Minerva, →ISBN, page 333:
We lifted the tabs on the cans and poured the brew carefully into glasses.2010, Peter Corris, Torn Apart, Allen and Unwin, page 18:
Computing, Engineering, Graphical user interface, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, SciencesBroadly The page or form (for example, on a web browser or file manager) associated with such a navigational widget.
How many tabs are open on your browser right now?
That’s the relief I feel when clearing all the tabs in my internet browser. Clicking the crosses like a long line of kisses finally indulged.2020 December 11, Hannah Jane Parkinson, “Is your browser window full of open tabs? Time for a digital declutter”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Etymology Apocopation (shortening) of (variously) tabulate, tabulator, or tabulation.
1
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences 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:
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A key on a computer keyboard that typically inserts a tab or moves the input focus.
tab
noun
Etymology Apocopation (shortening) of (variously) tabulate, tabulator, or tabulation.
Canada, US, Informal Credit account, e.g., in a shop or bar; slate.
to start a tab
Put this round on my tab, please, barman.
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As he fished a Visa credit card out of his green leather wallet, the bartender yelled out a question over the music: “Do you want to start a tab?” Mr. Korinke shook his head no and swiftly closed out. The pair might order more drinks later on, but the prospect of opening a tab was verboten. […] His ethos reflects a growing phenomenon among Gen Z bargoers: an aversion to opening bar tabs.2025 May 31, Paula Mejía, “Gen Z Doesn’t Want to Start a Bar Tab”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
3
Broadly 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:
No no no no I don't, it's not hate, hate is a strong word, truth be told I do have a slight preference for tabs but that's only because I'm anal and because I prefer precision.2016 May 29, Carson Mell, “Bachmanity Insanity”, in Silicon Valley, season 3, episode 6, spoken by Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch):
tab
noun
Etymology Likely to have been formed by clipping the Geordie pronunciation of the word tobacco or alternatively from the brand name Ogden's Tabs.
A form of musical notation indicating fingering rather than the pitch of notes, commonly used for stringed instruments.
tab
noun
Etymology Clipping of Cantab, from Cantabrigian, from Latin Cantabrigia (“Cambridge”).
1
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 January 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 February 7, "Laser Cartridge" [username], “Re: Cambridge News, again.”, in rec.sport.rowing (Usenet):
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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 January 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 March 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 March 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 March 30, JY [username], “Veterans Boat Race (that's Oxford, England vs Cambridge, England)”, in rec.sport.rowing (Usenet):
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, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 229:
The tabloids were able to spend much of the week confronting their demons. Maxine Carr's request to be released from prison early prompted the tabs to let her know what they thought of her suggestion.2004 January 16, Michael Hann, “The tabloid week”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
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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, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
If ministers disappoint—they usually do—the tabloids can cry "betrayal". They never lose. But just because the tabs are often flagrantly dishonest (in more expensive papers you get a better class of dishonesty) doesn't mean they're always wrong.2010 November 8, Michael White, “It is silly for liberals to pretend that no one plays the benefit system”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
tab
noun
Etymology Clipping of tablet.
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: