tarp n : waterproofed canvas [syn: tarpaulin]

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)p

Noun

1. Short form of tarpaulin.

For the place in Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, see Tarp (Germany).

A tarpaulin or tarp is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water resistant or waterproof material, often cloth such as canvas or polyester coated with plastics such as latex or PVC. In some places such as Australia, and in military slang, a tarp may be known as a hootchie. Tarps often have reinforced grommets at the corners and along the sides to form attachment points for rope, allowing them to be tied down or suspended. Inexpensive modern tarps are made from woven polyethylene; this material is so associated with tarps that it has become known as polytarp.

History

The word tarpaulin originated as a compound of the words tar and palling, referring to a tarred canvas pall used to cover objects on ships. By association, according to one theory, sailors became known as tarpaulins and eventually tars.

When used for a tarp, the word hoochie (also hootchie, hootch, or hooch) comes from the Japanese uchi ("house"). Huts in various parts of rural Asia are known by this or similar names, and during the Korean and Vietnam Wars English-speaking soldiers came to use the word to refer to their own makeshift shelters, which often consisted of little more than a tarp.

In English, the word is normally pronounced "TAR-paul-in". An American pronunciation would be "TAR-pole-in". A colloquial variation adds a vowel sound, resulting in the pronunciation, "tar-POLE-ee-in".

Uses

Tarps have multiple uses, including as shelter from the elements (i.e. wind, rain, or sunlight), a ground sheet or a fly in camping, a drop sheet for painting, for protecting the infield of a baseball field, and for protecting objects, such as vehicles or wood piles. It is also used on outdoor market stalls to provide some protection from the elements of nature.

Different kinds of tarpaulin

Polytarp

References

External links

• A Rotorwiki article about tarpaulin waste

See also

• Basha (tarpaulin)
• Fly (tent)
• Loue (tent)
• Gym Floor Cover
• Tent
• Visquine