TDS
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Total dissolved solids |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Business & Finance, Medical |
| Also written | tds |
TDS has three meanings. The most common are Total dissolved solids (environmental) and Tax deducted at source (tax); it can also stand for Ter die sumendum (to be taken three times a day).
Meanings of TDS at a glance
| # | TDS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Total dissolved solids | Science & Engineering › Environmental |
| 2 | Tax deducted at source | Business & Finance › Tax |
| 3 | Ter die sumendum (to be taken three times a day) | Medical › Prescription |
1. Total dissolved solids
Science & Engineering · Environmental Abbreviations
Total concentration of dissolved minerals, salts, metals and other substances in water, usually in milligrams per liter or parts per million. TDS affects taste and scaling; inexpensive handheld meters estimate it from electrical conductivity.
Example: The tap water measured 180 ppm TDS, and the reverse osmosis filter brought it down to 12.
The US EPA's non-enforceable secondary standard for drinking water is 500 mg/L, set for taste rather than health. Seawater has a TDS of about 35,000 mg/L. A high reading does not by itself indicate harmful contaminants, and a low reading does not guarantee safety, since many pollutants occur at tiny concentrations.
2. Tax deducted at source
Business & Finance · Tax Abbreviations
Indian system in which the payer withholds income tax when making certain payments, such as salaries, contractor fees, rent, interest and commissions, and remits it to the government on the recipient's behalf. The recipient claims the deducted amount as a credit when filing a return.
Example: The bank deducted 10% TDS on my fixed deposit interest.
Deductors report TDS quarterly and issue certificates such as Form 16 for salaries and Form 16A for other payments. Taxpayers check their credits in Form 26AS or the Annual Information Statement. Failing to give the payer a valid PAN generally means withholding at a higher rate.
3. Ter die sumendum (to be taken three times a day) (tds)
Medical · Prescription Abbreviations
British prescription abbreviation for three daily doses, the counterpart of the American TID. It is standard on UK hospital drug charts and GP prescriptions, usually with doses roughly morning, midday and evening.
Example: Co-amoxiclav 625 mg tds for 5 days, then review.
Also written t.d.s. or TDS. The British National Formulary lists both "t.d.s." and "t.i.d." as recognized Latin abbreviations for three times daily. Because "sumendum" means "to be taken", tds is technically an instruction to the patient rather than to a nurse.
Related abbreviations
More environmental abbreviations
- SLCP – Short-lived climate pollutant
- SOx – Sulfur oxides
- SSP – Shared Socioeconomic Pathway
- SST – Sea surface temperature
- TMDL – Total maximum daily load
- TSS – Total suspended solids
- UHI – Urban heat island
- UNFCCC – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
See all 62 environmental abbreviations →
More tax abbreviations
- SIT – State income tax
- SS-4 – Application for Employer Identification Number (IRS Form SS-4)
- SSA-1099 – Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099)
- SUTA – State Unemployment Tax Act
- TFN – Tax file number
- TIN – Taxpayer identification number
- UTR – Unique Taxpayer Reference
- VAT – Value-added tax
See all 116 tax abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.