tan someone's hide

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

By metaphor from tannery: beating hides (to condition them), tanning them (with dyes and chemicals), and so on.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Audio (AU)(file)

Verb[edit]

tan someone's hide (third-person singular simple present tans someone's hide, present participle tanning someone's hide, simple past and past participle tanned someone's hide)

  1. (idiomatic, figurative) To beat or spank someone.
    • 1908, Stewart Edward White, chapter 12, in The Adventures of Bobby Orde:
      "You lying little snipe," he roared. ". . . I've a mind to tan your hide good."

Synonyms[edit]

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