Tartar \Tar"tar\, n.
1. [Per. T[=a]t[=a]r, of Tartar origin.]
A native or
inhabitant of Tartary in Asia; a member of any one of
numerous tribes, chiefly Moslem, of Turkish origin,
inhabiting the Russian Europe; -- written also, more
correctly but less usually, Tatar.
2. A person of a keen, irritable temper.
To catch a tartar, to lay hold of, or encounter, a person
who proves too strong for the assailant. [Colloq.]
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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Tartar \Tar"tar\, n. [F. tartre (cf. Pr. tartari, Sp., Pg., &
It. tartaro, LL. tartarum, LGr. ?); perhaps of Arabic
origin.]
1. (Chem.) A reddish crust or sediment in wine casks,
consisting essentially of crude cream of tartar, and used
in marking pure cream of tartar, tartaric acid, potassium
carbonate, black flux, etc., and, in dyeing, as a mordant
for woolen goods; -- called also argol, wine stone,
etc.
2. A correction which often incrusts the teeth, consisting of
salivary mucus, animal matter, and phosphate of lime.
Cream of tartar. (Chem.) See under Cream.
Tartar emetic (Med. Chem.), a double tartrate of potassium
and basic antimony. It is a poisonous white crystalline
substance having a sweetish metallic taste, and used in
medicine as a sudorific and emetic.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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