Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to charge with a crime.

1873		W.H. Thomes Bushrangers 365: The Pet had a big fight with another feller, and killed him. He was tabbed for manslaughter, and tried for it.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 217/1: Tab, v. To book formally, as at police station, police headquarters, prison, etc.

2. to identify, to categorize.

1916		J. Lait ‘“Taxi, Mister!”’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 140: He is tabbed by ‘spotters’ that walk and peek from behind granite columns.
1940		D. Maurer Big Con 111: You would tab him and when he went into the lounge car [...] you would tail him there.
1956		J. Thompson ‘The Cellini Chalice’ in Fireworks (1988) 97: With his connections he could tab anyone all over L.A.
1967		J. Breslin World of Jimmy Breslin (1968) 113: Tab the plane tickets [...] as special research [...] but get me the scratchsky back.
1968		(con. c.1900) J. Thompson King Blood (1989) 118: I thought you had him tabbed for Joshie’s man.
1977		Ben-Veniste & Frampton Stonewall 342: [T]abbing him as a Washington trial lawyer.
1983		A. Payne ‘Get Daley!’ Minder [TV script] 17: You’re coming it a bit, aren’t you, tabbing me in here? Bleedin’ hell, Chisholm, this is my local!

3. (also tab up) to survey a place prior to robbing it.

1926		J. Black You Can’t Win (2000) 224: You are a burglar; you have put in a week ‘tabbing up’ a residence.
1928		J. Callahan Man’s Grim Justice 80: I tabbed the town for three or four nights.

4. to name, to nickname.

1934		G. North ‘Gun Guile’ in Greater Gangster Stories Feb. 🌐 The guy who tabbed you ‘Sure-thing’ was off his nut!
2000		Dly Citizen (Beaver Dam, WI) 11 Mar. 21/5: There’s even a one-pound fourteen-inch cookie tabbed the ‘Dino Bone’.

5. to obtain credit.

1939		Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 11 Nov. 7/1: Monte Hawley’s face was red the time he invited that lady for a drink and had to tab it .
1971		(con. 1930s) D. Wells Night People 28: Greasy was the name of the bartender and he would let you tab.