Garland Globe | 1906-05-19 | Page 7 | "Tar" for Sailor

"Tar" for Sailor. Why is tho word "tar" n synonym for "sailor?" Somo dlctonnrles say thnt tho allusion Is to tho seaman's tarry hands nnd clothes tho "savor of tar" of Stoplmno's song In "Tho Tempest," Tem-pest," Burns uses "tnrrybreeks" as equivalent to "sailor." But it Is ro-garded ro-garded as much moro probable that "tar" Is short for "tarpaulin," slnco Clnrendon nnd other wrltors col-loqullly col-loqullly uso "tnrpnulln" to signify n scamnn. Of courso, this ultimately gets bnck to tnr, n tarpaulin being a tarred "palling," or covering (tho samo word nB "pall").