Definition of tangents:
(n) :
(mathematics) A function of an angle that gives the ratio of the sine to the cosine, in either the real or complex numbers. Symbols: tan, tg.
(n) :
(differential geometry) A straight line touching a curve at a single point without crossing it there.
(adj) :
(geometry) Touching a curve at a single point but not crossing it at that point.
(n) :
A topic nearly unrelated to the main topic, but having a point in common with it.
(adj) :
Of a topic, only loosely related to a main topic.
(n) :
(art) A visual interaction between two or more lines or edges that creates a perceived relationship between them, often in a way that the artist did not intend.