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Tapu

,

among the South Sea Islanders, means “devoted” in a religious sense. Thus, a temple is tapu, and he who violates a temple is tapu. Not only so, but everyone and everything connected with what is tapu becomes tapu also. Thus, Captain Cook was tapu because some of his sailors took rails from a “temple” of the Hawaiians to supply themselves with fuel, and, being devoted, he was slain Our taboo is the same word.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Tanthony (St. Anthony)
Tantum Ergo
Taou
Tap the Admiral
Tap the Till (To)
Tap-up Sunday
Tapis
Tapisserie
Tappit-hen (A)
Tapster
Tapu
Tarabolus or Tantrabolus
Tarakee
Tarantism
Tarantula
Tarentella or Tarantella
Tariff
Tarpaulins or Tars
Tarpeian Rock
Tarred
Tarring and Feathering

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Tabooed