vat

1 of 3

noun

ˈvat 

1

: a large vessel (such as a cistern, tub, or barrel) especially for holding liquors in an immature state or preparations for dyeing or tanning

2

: a liquor containing a dye converted into a soluble reduced colorless or weakly colored form that on textile material steeped in the liquor and exposed to the air is converted by oxidation to the original insoluble dye and precipitated in the fiber

vat

2 of 3

verb

vatted; vatting

transitive verb

: to put into or treat in a vat

VAT

3 of 3

abbreviation

value-added tax

Examples of vat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This fractional blending system blends older and newer whiskeys in a 4,000-gallon oak vat. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

In addition to crisping up food without a vat of fat, the nifty gadget also roasts, dehydrates, and reheats meals in a matter of minutes. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 7 Oct. 2024

Verb

Recreating 19th-century vatting techniques, navigating the intricacies of French customs regulations and ensuring the rum maintained its historical integrity were all hurdles that Gabriel and his team had to overcome. —Rachel King, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024

This was a period when distilleries and their parent companies were still very much concentrating on blends alongside a limited number of single malts, which were often vatted to create a uniform taste and strength. —Mark Littler, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English vet, vat, southern variant of fat, fet, going back to Old English fæt, going back to Germanic *fata- (whence Old Saxon fat "vessel," Old High German faz); akin to Lithuanian púodas "pot"

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1784, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing vat

• vat dye
• vat-dyed

Kids Definition

vat

noun

ˈvat

: a large container (as a tub) especially for holding liquids in manufacturing processes

Legal Definition

VAT

noun

ˌvē-ˌā-ˈtē

: value-added tax