tiger Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a fierce or audacious person
    • he's a tiger on the tennis court
    • it aroused the tiger in me
  2. noun large feline of forests in most of Asia having a tawny coat with black stripes; endangered
    Panthera tigris.

WordNet

Ti"ger noun
Etymology
OE. tigre, F. tigre, L. tigris, Gr. ti`gris; probably of Persian origin; cf. Zend tighra pointed, tighri an arrow, Per. tir; perhaps akin to E. stick, v.t.; -- probably so named from its quickness.
Definitions
  1. A very large and powerful carnivore (Felis tigris) native of Southern Asia and the East Indies. Its back and sides are tawny or rufous yellow, transversely striped with black, the tail is ringed with black, the throat and belly are nearly white. When full grown, it equals or exceeds the lion in size and strength. Called also royal tiger, and Bengal tiger.
  2. Fig.: A ferocious, bloodthirsty person.
    As for heinous tiger, Tamora. Shak.
  3. A servant in livery, who rids with his master or mistress. Dickens.
  4. A kind of growl or screech, after cheering; as, three cheers and a tiger. Colloq. U.S.
  5. A pneumatic box or pan used in refining sugar.

Webster 1913