Tarpaulin Was Tarred Cloth for Sailors
A tarp is a waterproof sheet. Its full name describes how the fabric was made.
A tarp is a large waterproof sheet, short for *tarpaulin*. The full word is a compound of *tar* and *palling*, from *pall*, a heavy cloth: canvas was soaked in tar to make it waterproof, and the resulting stiff dark sheets covered hatches and cargo at sea. Sailors themselves were nicknamed *tarpaulins* and then *tars*, which is where *Jack Tar* comes from. Modern tarps are plastic, but the name still records a tar barrel.
- A waterproof sheet. *A blue tarp.*
- Tarpaulin — the full word. *A tarpaulin.*
- Tar — the waterproofing. *Tar.*
- Jack Tar — a sailor. *Jack Tar.*
- English — *tar* plus *pall*. *The build.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | tarp | A tarp. |
| Plural | tarps | Tarps. |
| Full form | tarpaulin | A tarpaulin. |
| Related | tar | Tar. |
| Related | pall | A pall. |
- Cover it with a tarp.Sheet.
- Tarred canvas kept out water.History.
- Sailors were called tars.Nickname.
How canvas was waterproofed
- Canvas was soaked in pine tar or pitch
- The coating filled the weave and repelled water
- It stiffened and darkened the cloth considerably
- Linseed oil was a lighter alternative, giving oilskin
- Modern tarps use woven polyethylene instead
Shortened from *tarpaulin*, from *tar* plus *pall*, a heavy cloth covering.
Why is it called a tarpaulin?
Because the canvas was soaked in tar to waterproof it. The name combines tar with pall, a heavy cloth.
Why were sailors called tars?
From tarpaulin, the tarred canvas they worked with and wore, giving the nickname Jack Tar.