tain


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tain

 (tān)
n.
1. A type of paper-thin tin plate.
2. Tinfoil used as a backing for mirrors.

[French, alteration of étain, tin, from Late Latin stannum; see stannic.]

tain

(teɪn)
n
1. (Metallurgy) tinfoil used in backing mirrors
[from French, from étain tin, from Old French estain, from Latin stagnum alloy of silver and lead; see stannum]
References in classic literature ?
In the Book of the Dun Cow, and in another old book called the Book of Leinster, there is written the great Irish legend called the Tain Bo Chuailgne or the Cattle Raid of Cooley.
And on the recommendation of a cer tain Schomberg, the proprietor of the smaller of the two hotels in the place, I engaged a Chinaman.
And so they rode and came into a deep valley full of stones, and thereby they saw a fair stream of water; above thereby was the head of the stream, a fair foun- tain, and three damsels sitting thereby.