tarpaulin
Tarpaulin (noun) means a heavy, waterproof sheet of material, often cloth or plastic sheet, used as a cover or blanket (often as weatherproofing, or to keep loose cargo from blowing off a lorry).
Etymology
From tar + pall (“heavy canvas”) + -ing. The sailor sense reflects that sailors of centuries past often wore garments made of tarred cloth (for weatherproofing).
Rhymes for tarpaulin
See all rhymes for tarpaulin →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of tarpaulin?
"tarpaulin" (noun) means a heavy, waterproof sheet of material, often cloth or plastic sheet, used as a cover or blanket (often as weatherproofing, or to keep loose cargo from blowing off a lorry).
What are the different meanings of tarpaulin?
"tarpaulin" has 3 main meanings: 1. A heavy, waterproof sheet of material, often cloth or plastic sheet, used as a cover or blanket (often as weatherproofing, or to keep loose cargo from blowing off a lorry); 2. Canvas waterproofed with tar, used as a cover; 3. A hat made of, or covered with, painted or tarred cloth, worn by sailors and others.