n. The painting or piece of sculpture above and behind the altar; reredos. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Impervious to the light of the stars; as, a starproof elm. [ Poetic ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From the native name. ] (Zool.) A wild horse found in the region of the Caspian Sea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Tar + palling a covering, pall to cover. See Pall a covering. ] 1. A piece of canvas covered with tar or a waterproof composition, used for covering the hatches of a ship, hammocks, boats, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A hat made of, or covered with, painted or tarred cloth, worn by sailors and others. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence, a sailor; a seaman; a tar. [ 1913 Webster ]

To a landsman, these tarpaulins, as they were called, seemed a strange and half-savage race. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. Tarpeius, prop., pertaining to Tarpeia. ] Pertaining to or designating a rock or peak of the Capitoline hill, Rome, from which condemned criminals were hurled. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Zool.) Same as Tarpum. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A very large marine fish (Megapolis Atlanticus) of the Southern United States and the West Indies. It often becomes six or more feet in length, and has large silvery scales. The scales are a staple article of trade, and are used in fancywork. Called also tarpon, sabalo, savanilla, silverfish, and jewfish. [ 1913 Webster ]