tarred

Tarred is the past participle of tar and also an adjective meaning coated with tar. Tar is a viscous, dark liquid obtained from the distillation of organic materials such as coal or wood, and is used to waterproof and preserve materials, among other purposes. When something is tarred, it has been treated with tar.

In maritime and industrial contexts, tarred rope and other tarred components were common because tar helps resist moisture and rot and can seal fibers. Tarred rope, rigging, and coatings were used on ships and in various marine applications to extend durability. Different types of tar, including pine tar, have historically served both protective and antifungal roles in wooden structures.

Road construction in earlier eras also used tar as a binder for surfacing. In the 19th and early 20th centuries tar roads were common in parts of the world, but asphalt and bitumen-based binders largely replaced tar in modern road construction. Today tar may still appear in some seal coats or specialty applications in certain regions.

Tarred and feathered refers to a historical form of public punishment and humiliation in parts of Europe and North America, typically involving the application of tar to a person’s body followed by feathers. The practice was most common in centuries past and is now illegal and regarded as barbaric in many jurisdictions.

See also tar, pine tar, tar-and-feathering, road surface.