tat

Everyday

1. (UK, informal) Tat is cheap, tasteless or useless things, like junk sold at a fair: «The shop sells tourist tat». tree →
2. Tit for tat means paying someone back in the same way for something bad they did to you. tree →
3. (slang) Tat is short for tattoo. tree →
4. (crafts) To tat is to make lace by tatting, using a small shuttle and thread. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday British talk, a parent may say «Don't spend your money on that tat». In stories and PSHE, «tit for tat» describes arguments where each side gets back at the other, which usually makes things worse. Phrases: «cheap tat», «tourist tat», «tit for tat».

Examples

• Dad said the souvenir shop was full of tat. tree →
• Don't waste your pocket money on plastic tat. tree →
• It turned into a tit-for-tat argument about who pushed first. tree →
• My uncle has a dragon tat on his arm. tree →
• The jumble sale had some treasures among the tat. tree →
• Grandma taught me to tat lace with a shuttle. tree →

Note

Informal. «Tat» (junk) is uncountable: «a lot of tat». «Tit for tat» is a fixed phrase. Tatting is an old craft word.