TENT, in War, a pavilion or portable house. Tents are made of canvas, for officers and soldiers to lie under when in the field. The size of the officers tents is not fixed; some regiments have them of one size and some of another; a captain's tent and marquee is generally 10½ feet broad, 14 deep, and 8 high: the subalterns are a foot less; the major's and lieutenant-colonel's a foot larger; and the colonel's two feet larger. The subalterns of foot lie two in a tent, and those of horse but one. The tents of private men are 6½ feet square, and 5 feet high, and hold five soldiers each. The tents for horse are 7 feet broad and 9 feet deep: they hold likewise five men and their horse accoutrements.—The word is formed from the Latin tentorium, of tendo, "I stretch," because tents are usually made of canvas stretched out, and sustained by poles, with cords and pegs.