tabby

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)A kind of waved silk, usually called watered silk, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The watering is given to it by calendering.

   “"Ay, ay; she wore a flowered silk tabby sacque, on band days," said Toole, who had an eye and a corner in his memory for female costume, "a fine showy—I remember."”

2. (uncountable)A concrete mixture of lime with shells, gravel, or stones, in equal proportions, with an equal proportion of water. When dry, this becomes as hard as rock.
3. (countable)A brindled cat.

   “A wise tabby, a blinking sphinx, watched from her warm sill. Pity to disturb them. Mohammed cut a piece out of his mantle not to wake her.”

4. (Australia, countable, slang, uncountable)A woman, irrespective of age, but often used for a young, attractive woman.

   “‘The kids go for a drive in a borrowed car, park on another street between the corner lamps, and then there’s ructions because some little tabby gets up the stick.’”

5. (archaic, countable)An old maid or gossip.

adj

1. Having a wavy or watered appearance.

   “a tabby waistcoat”

2. Brindled; diversified in color.

   “a tabby cat”

verb

1. (transitive)To give a wavy or watered appearance to (a textile).

name

1. A diminutive of the female given name Tabitha.
2. A diminutive of the female given name Tabetha.