TIN (tinned, tinning)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: tinned    , tinning   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tin mean? 

• TIN (noun)
  The noun TIN has 4 senses:

1. a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide

2. a vessel (box, can, pan, etc.) made of tinplate and used mainly in baking

3. metal container for storing dry foods such as tea or flour

4. airtight sealed metal container for food or drink or paint etc.

  Familiarity information: TIN used as a noun is uncommon.

• TIN (verb)
  The verb TIN has 3 senses:

1. plate with tin

2. preserve in a can or tin

3. prepare (a metal) for soldering or brazing by applying a thin layer of solder to the surface

  Familiarity information: TIN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

atomic number 50; Sn; tin

Hypernyms ("tin" is a kind of...):

metal; metallic element (any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.)

Holonyms ("tin" is a substance of...):

tin foil; tinfoil (foil made of tin or an alloy of tin and lead)

cassiterite (a hard heavy dark mineral that is the chief source of tin)

Derivation:

tin (prepare (a metal) for soldering or brazing by applying a thin layer of solder to the surface)

tin (plate with tin)

tinny (of or containing tin)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A vessel (box, can, pan, etc.) made of tinplate and used mainly in baking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("tin" is a kind of...):

vessel (an object used as a container (especially for liquids))

Holonyms ("tin" is a substance of...):

tin plate; tinplate (a thin sheet of metal (iron or steel) coated with tin to prevent rusting; used especially for cans, pots, and tins)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Metal container for storing dry foods such as tea or flour

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

canister; cannister; tin

Hypernyms ("tin" is a kind of...):

container (any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another))

Derivation:

tin (preserve in a can or tin)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Airtight sealed metal container for food or drink or paint etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

can; tin; tin can

Hypernyms ("tin" is a kind of...):

container (any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tin"):

beer can (a can that holds beer)

caddy; tea caddy (a can for storing tea)

cannikin (a small can)

coffee can (a can for storing ground coffee)

milk can (large can for transporting milk)

oilcan (a can with a long nozzle to apply oil to machinery)

soda can (a can for holding soft drinks)

Derivation:

tin (preserve in a can or tin)

• TIN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they tin    ... he / she / it tins   
Past simple: tinned   
Past participle: tinned   
-ing form: tinning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Plate with tin

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "tin" is one way to...):

plate (coat with a layer of metal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tin (a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide)

tinning (the application of a protective layer of tin)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Preserve in a can or tin

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

can; put up; tin

Context example:

tinned foods are not very tasty

Hypernyms (to "tin" is one way to...):

keep; preserve (prevent (food) from rotting)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs tin the vegetables

Derivation:

tin (airtight sealed metal container for food or drink or paint etc.)

tin (metal container for storing dry foods such as tea or flour)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Prepare (a metal) for soldering or brazing by applying a thin layer of solder to the surface

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "tin" is one way to...):

plate (coat with a layer of metal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tin (a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide)

tinning (the application of a thin layer of soft solder to the ends of wires before soldering them)

 Context examples 

So I went to a tinsmith and had him make me a new leg out of tin.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

The tin dishes were packed away unwashed.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

All the baggage we took off with him was one tin box.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Suddenly I remembered that I had a tin box of wax-vestas in my pocket.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Can you do anything on a yard of tin?

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was a small tin cash-box which stood upon the writing-desk.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Somehow he had succeeded in retaining the tin bucket.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

An alloy, typically a mix of silver, tin, and mercury, used in direct dental restorations.

(Amalgam, NCI Thesaurus)

Haeckel is his little tin god.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Jo's desk up here was an old tin kitchen which hung against the wall.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)