tin

noun

\ ˈtin

Definition of tin

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a soft faintly bluish-white lustrous low-melting crystalline metallic element that is malleable and ductile at ordinary temperatures and that is used especially in containers, as a protective coating, in tinfoil, and in soft solders and alloys — see Chemical Elements Table

2a : a box, can, pan, vessel, or a sheet made of tinplate broadly : such a container of any metal (such as aluminum)

b : a metal container and its contents a tin of tomatoes

tin

verb

tinned; tinning

Definition of tin (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to cover or plate with tin or a tin alloy

2 : to put up or pack in tins : can tinned peaches

TIN

abbreviation

Definition of TIN (Entry 3 of 3)

taxpayer identification number

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Synonyms for tin

Synonyms: Noun

barrel, can, canister (also cannister), drum

Examples of tin in a Sentence

Noun

row upon row of tins containing food for an emergency that never happened

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The museum has antique cars and motorcycles if that's your thing, and, for the kids, pedal cars and thousands of antique toys, including dolls and toys made out of tin and cast iron. — Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Take a family road trip this summer to check out these 7 Wisconsin children's museums," 19 June 2018 Continue for all of your eggs and give the tin a few gentle taps to allow the shaving cream to settle into any air pockets. — Country Living, "How to Make Shaving Cream Easter Eggs for Your Most Colorful Holiday Yet," 15 Mar. 2019 Next, soak cotton balls in acetone (a chemical commonly used in gel nail polish removal), apply a cotton ball to each nail, and wrap it in tin foil. — Tiffany Dodson, SELF, "4 Mistakes You’re Making When Wearing Gel Nail Polish," 25 Jan. 2019 Some even have magical effects: The transparent Liquid Glass putty turns opaque upon contact, and then melts back into an invisibly clear puddle when returned to the tin, fascinating to the natural child in all of us, no matter our age. — Francine Maroukian, Popular Mechanics, "The Limitless Uses of Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty," 26 Dec. 2018 Coat 6 cups of nonstick muffin tin with cooking spray. — Chrissy Teigen, Good Housekeeping, "Croissant Bread Pudding Ham Cups," 14 Jan. 2019 To outsiders, the space might look more like a gallery than a retail shop with its white walls and exposed tin ceiling. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "6397’s First Store Embraces Community and a DIY Spirit," 6 Dec. 2018 The space itself has been around in one form or another since 1933, and many of its details, such as the tin ceiling and 108-foot-long wooden bar, date back decades. — Charles Passy, WSJ, "Where to Find the Most Remarkable Margaritas in San Antonio," 19 Oct. 2018 Line two 8-inch round cake tins with parchment paper. — Margaux Laskey, The Seattle Times, "Wrap up one of these sweet cookbooks for the home bakers in your life," 11 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

This is Fonseca and Almeida's favorite shop in town, selling home goods, soaps, children's toys, notebooks, and the famous Portuguese tinned fish, among many other delights. — Cara Sanders, Vogue, "An Insider’s Guide to Lisbon from the Duo Behind the City’s Coolest Boutique Hotel," 8 Sep. 2018 Sophisticates use their left hand to hold a fork, tines down, and hold their knife in their right, cutting one bite at a time. — Carolyne Zinko, SFChronicle.com, "Techies change the world, but can they choose the right knife and fork?," 3 July 2018 Meanwhile, Sidell is contemplating expansion plans for Back Bay tinned-fish parlor Saltie Girl — no firm locations yet — and working on renovations at the group’s Back Bay and Natick Met locations. — Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, "Tables: Some big closings in Southie, and welcoming The Wellington," 7 June 2018 Since supplies could run low during a crisis, the leaflet provides checklists of what to stock up on, including mineral water, wet wipes and tinned hummus. — Laignee Barron, Time, "Sweden Advises Its Citizens to Prepare Wet Wipes and Tinned Hummus in the Event of War," 22 May 2018 They were invited to England, tined and dined and they their hotels and airlines paid for. — Fox News, "Did an administration infiltrate the opposition's campaign?," 26 May 2018 Holy upset! Saltie Girl’s tinned sardines beat Island Creek Oyster Bar’s oysters in the Boston Globe Munch Madness tournament’s Sweet 16 round. — Devra First, BostonGlobe.com, "A Munch Madness upset! Saltie Girl topples Island Creek Oyster Bar," 26 Mar. 2018 The condom tins indeed look like makeup, and now with Urban Outfitter's partnership, hopefully carrying condoms and lube in your purse will become as common as toting around chapstick. — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, "Urban Outfitters Now Sells Condoms and Lube From Brand Lovability," 10 Mar. 2018 Luckily, this is one restaurant trend that's easy to take home, provided you get the right tinned fish. — Karen Palmer, Bon Appetit, "The Best Ways to Serve Tinned Fish," 23 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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5 May 2019

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Time Traveler for tin

The first known use of tin was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for tin

TIN

abbreviation

Financial Definition of TIN

What It Is

Also called an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), a taxpayer identification number (TIN) is a nine-digit number that the IRS uses to identify individuals who do not have and are not required to obtain a Social Security number.

How It Works

TINs always begin with the number 9. Similar to Social Security numbers, TINs take the XXX-XX-XXXX pattern. The fourth and fifth digits always fall in the 70-88, 90-92, and 94-99 ranges. People can apply for a TIN using IRS Form W-7 ("Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number").

TINs are for tax purposes only; they do not replace Social Security numbers, authorize a person to work in the United States, or create eligibility for Social Security or other benefits. The IRS issues TINs regardless of immigration status because people both inside and outside the United States may have tax obligations to the United States under the Internal Revenue Code.

Why It Matters

TINs are not the same as Employer Identification Numbers (EINs). It’s also important to note that TINs are for federal tax purposes; states may have additional identification requirements for taxpayers who do not have Social Security numbers.

Source: Investing Answers

tin

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tin

: a soft, shiny, bluish-white metal that has many different uses

: a container or plate made of metal

: a decorative metal box with a cover or lid

See the full definition for tin in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tin

noun

\ ˈtin

Kids Definition of tin

1 : a soft bluish white metallic chemical element used chiefly in combination with other metals or as a coating to protect other metals

2 : something (as a can or sheet) made from tinplate a tin of cookies

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tin

noun

\ ˈtin

Medical Definition of tin

: a soft faintly bluish white lustrous low-melting crystalline metallic element that is malleable and ductile at ordinary temperatures and that is used as a protective coating, in tinfoil, and in soft solders and alloys —symbol Sn — see Chemical Elements Table