tango
nounverbnouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈtæ̞ŋɡəʊ̯//
- United Kingdom/[ˈtʰæ̞ŋɡəʊ̯]/
- United States//ˈtæ̝ŋɡoʊ̯//
- United States/[ˈtʰæ̝ŋɡoʊ̯]/
- United States//ˈtæ̝ŋɡɔʊ̯//
A standard ballroom dance in 4/4 time; or a social dance, the Argentine tango.
noun
- 1
A standard ballroom dance in 4/4 time; or a social dance, the Argentine tango.
- 2
A Spanish flamenco dance with different steps from the Argentine.
- 3
A piece of music suited to such a dance.
- 4
A dark orange colour shade; deep tangerine
Etymology
Borrowed from Rioplatense Spanish tango, probably from a Niger-Congo language (compare Ibibio tamgu (“to dance”)).
verb
- 1
To dance the tango.
- 2
slangTo mingle or interact (with each other).
Creamy cheese, tangy-sweet peppers, and a hit of heat tango in this sexy deviled-egg combo.
noun
- 1
slangA target; an enemy.
Tango down!
The two tangoes running toward the carnage at the prison door dropped simultaneously, dead in their tracks.
Knight, your flight plan is set. It'll be a two-hour trip to the tango, flying tea-kettle.
The sharp crack of breaking glass preceded Emily's calm voice. "One tango dead and Marcus is down, John."
- 2
Variant of Tango from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic AlphabetAlternative letter-case form of Tango from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.
Etymology
From translingual Tango (representing the letter T), from English tango (see above).
Forms
- plural
- tangos, tangoes
- past tense
- tangoed
- past participle
- tangoed
- present participle
- tangoing
- third person singular
- tangoes
tango · A standard ballroom dance in 4/4 time; or a social dance, the Argentine tango.
Tango · A surname.tania · New cocoyam, yautia (Xanthosoma sagittifolium).Tania · A diminutive of the female given names Tatiana or Tetyana.