tan someone's hide

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English

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Verb

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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

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