tin [OE] The metal tin appears in the writings of the Anglo-Saxon king Alfred the Great. Use of tin to mean a sealed metal container for food or drink dates from the late 18th century. Tin is not a precious metal, and a number of phrases refer to its relative lack of value. To have a tin ear [E20th] is to be tone-deaf. The term a little tin god [L19th] for someone regarded with unjustified respect conjures up the idea of an idol made of cheap tin instead of gold or silver. In the early 20th century a tin Lizzie was an affectionate nickname for a car, especially one of the early Ford models. Since the late 1980s the wood preservative manufacturer Ronseal has seen its slogan It does exactly what it says on the tin become a catch-all phrase for anything which unpretentiously does what it claims to.