Tass

/tæs/ name, noun

name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A heap, pile.
  • Grammar: tass is listed as name, noun.
  • Nearest alternatives: fringe, nyírtass, tash, tassel.
  • Useful contrasts: independent press, plainness, unornamentedness.
  • Usage evidence: "Here, Dougal," said the Laird, "gie Steenie a tass of brandy down stairs, till I count the siller and write the receipt."

How to use "tass"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tass" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tass" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tass" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tass" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "tass" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "fringe" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "tass", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A heap, pile. obsolete, rare
  2. 2
    A cup or cupful. Northern-England, Scotland, dialectal

    ""Here, Dougal," said the Laird, "gie Steenie a tass of brandy down stairs, till I count the siller and write the receipt.""

  3. 3
    Synonym of tasse.
  4. 4
    An Oriental silk fabric, with gold or silver thread.
  5. 5
    plural of TAS form-of, plural
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union historical

    "In his remarks at the close of the summit, Lavrov also hailed the German government’s refusal to send Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine as a “responsible stance,” TASS reported."

  2. 2
    A village in Bács-Kiskun, Hungary.
  3. 3
    Former name of Nyírtass: a village in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Hungary.

Antonyms

independent pressplainnessunornamentedness

Example

""Here, Dougal," said the Laird, "gie Steenie a tass of brandy down stairs, till I count the siller and write the receipt.""

Common questions

What does "tass" mean?

A heap, pile.

What is a synonym for "tass"?

Common synonyms include: fringe, nyírtass, tash, tassel, tosh, tuft.

How do you use "tass" in a sentence?

"Here, Dougal," said the Laird, "gie Steenie a tass of brandy down stairs, till I count the siller and write the receipt."

How do you pronounce "tass"?

Pronounced /tæs/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

Partly from Middle English tas (“heap”), from Old French tas (“heap”), from Frankish *tas (“mass, pile”); and partly from Middle English taas (“heap, mow of corn”), from Old English tas (“heap, mow of grain”); both from Proto-Germanic *tasaz, *tassaz (“heap, mow, stack”), from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- (“to divide, split, section, part, separate”). Related to Middle Dutch tas, tasse (“heap, pile”, Dutch tas), Middle Low German tas (“mow of hay or wheat”), Gothic 𐌿𐌽𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌰𐍃𐍃 (ungatass, “disorganised, irregular”); and possibly also to Old High German zetten (“to straw, fertilise”), Old Norse tað (“spread dung”). See tath.

Etymology 2

From Middle English *tasse, from Old French tasse (Modern French tasse (“cup, cupful”)). Cognate with Dutch tas (“cup”), German Tasse (“mug”). Doublet of tazza.

Etymology 3

From Middle English tasse, tache, from Old French tasse, tasche (“purse; pouch”), from Frankish *taskā (“pouch”), from Proto-Germanic *taskǭ, cognate with Old High German tasca (“pouch”), German Tasche (“pocket; pouch”).

Etymology 4

From Hindi; compare तसर (tasar, “shuttle (weaving)”).

Etymology 5

From Russian ТАСС (TASS), acronym of Телеграфное аге́нтство Советского Союза (Telegrafnoje agéntstvo Sovetskovo Sojuza).

Etymology 6

From Hungarian Tass.

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