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The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for March 24, 1999
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tattoo [n. ta-TOO]
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There are two meanings for this word. A tattoo can be a mark or
design, usually permanent, that is made by injecting dyes just under
the skin. It can also be a military display, or a signal sounded on
a drum or bugle. The two meanings have very different origins.
The military meaning comes from the Dutch taptoe (to close a tap or
spigot), which also meant "closing time for the tavern." This
migrated into English as the name of a drum beat that was used to
signal that the enlisted men had to return to their quarters for the
night. Later the meaning broadened to include other kinds of
military flourishes.
The meaning "a skin design" was brought to us by the explorer Captain
James Cook, who wrote of the Tahitian practice of "tatau" in his
journal in 1769. His sailors, who received tattoos from the Polynesian
natives, carried them into English ports, where they showed them off
and popularized the art.
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Organization - Noun. A group of persons organized for a particular
purpose. The act of arranging lines of communication and control for
the effective operation of a group. In other words, JointPlanning.com
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