tab (2) — ODE

tab2 /tab

▸ noun a facility in a word-processing program, or a device on a keyboard, for advancing to a sequence of set positions in tabular work:

[as modifier] the tab key.

▸ verb

( tabs, tabbing, tabbed)

1 [no object] use the tab key on a computer or typewriter keyboard:

the user can tab to the phrase and press Enter.

2 [with object] short for tabulate

– ORIGIN early 20th century: short for tabulator.