JargonFile/entries/TAN.txt

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2014-04-26 10:52:28 -04:00
TAN
adj. [Usenet, particularly rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan ] Abbrev. of tangent , as in off on a tangent , and synonym for OT. A number of hacker-humor synonyms are used for TAN in some newsgroups. Instances such as BEIGE, OFF-WHITE, BROWNISH-GRAY, and LIGHT BROWN have been observed. It is generally understood on newsgroups with this convention that any color descriptor is a TAN synonym if (a) used as the first word(s) of the topic of a Usenet post, (b) written in ALL CAPS, and (c) followed immediately by a colon. Usage: OFF-WHITE: 2000 Presidential candidates on an SF newsgroup.