- a signal on a drum, bugle, or trumpet at night, for soldiers or sailors to go to their quarters.
- a knocking or strong pulsation: My heart beat a tattoo on my ribs.
- an outdoor military pageant or display.
- the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments.
- a pattern, picture, legend, etc., so made.
- to mark (the skin) with tattoos.
- to put (tattoos) on the skin.
- (formerly) a signal by drum or bugle ordering the military to return to their quarters
- a military display or pageant, usually at night
- any similar beating on a drum, etc
- to make (pictures or designs) on (the skin) by pricking and staining with indelible colours
- a design made by this process
- the practice of tattooing
