The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Tabby \Tab"by\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tabbied; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Tabbying.]
   To water; to cause to look wavy, by the process of
   calendering; to calender; as, to tabby silk, mohair, ribbon,
   etc.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Tabby \Tab"by\ (t[a^]b"b[y^]), n.; pl. Tabbies
   (t[a^]b"b[i^]z). [F. tabis (cf. It. tab[`i], Sp. & Pg.
   tab['i], LL. attabi), fr. Ar. 'att[=a]b[imac], properly the
   name of a quarter of Bagdad where it was made, the quarter
   being named from the prince Attab, great grandson of Omeyya.
   Cf. Tobine.]
   1. A kind of waved silk, usually called watered silk,
      manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The
      watering is given to it by calendering.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A 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. --Weale.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. A brindled cat; hence, popularly, any cat.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. An old maid or gossip. [Colloq.] --Byron.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Tabby \Tab"by\, a.
   1. Having a wavy or watered appearance; as, a tabby
      waistcoat. --Pepys.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Brindled; diversified in color; as, a tabby cat.
      [1913 Webster]

   Tabby moth (Zool.), the grease moth. See under Grease.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

tabby
    adj 1: having a grey or brown streak or a pattern or a patchy
           coloring; used especially of the patterned fur of cats
           [syn: brindled, brindle, brinded, tabby]
    n 1: a cat with a grey or tawny coat mottled with black [syn:
         tabby, tabby cat]
    2: female cat [syn: tabby, queen]