Tabby \Tab"by\, a.

1. Having a wavy or watered appearance; as, a tabby waistcoat. --Pepys.

2. Brindled; diversified in color; as, a tabby cat.

Tabby moth (Zo["o]l.), the grease moth. See under Grease.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Tabby \Tab"by\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tabbied; p. pr. & vb. n. Tabbying.]

To water; to cause to look wavy, by the process of calendering; to calender; as, to tabby silk, mohair, ribbon, etc.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Tabby \Tab"by\, n.; pl. Tabbies. [F. tabis (cf. It. tab[`i], Sp. & Pg. tab['i], LL. attabi), fr. Ar. 'att[=a]b[=i], properly the name of a quarter of Bagdad where it was made, the quarter being named from the prince Attab, great grandson of Omeyya. Cf. Tobine.]

1. A kind of waved silk, usually called watered silk, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The watering is given to it by calendering.

2. A mixture of lime with shells, gravel, or stones, in equal proportions, with an equal proportion of water. When dry, this becomes as hard as rock. --Weale.

3. A brindled cat; hence, popularly, any cat.

4. An old maid or gossip. [Colloq.]

--Byron.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)