6.1.4 <text:tab> "A <text:tab> element reserves space from the current position up to the next tab-stop, as defined in the paragraph's style information." "reserves"?

6.1.4 <text:tab> "A <text:tab> element reserves space from the current position up to the next tab-stop, as defined in the paragraph's style information." "reserves"?

Err, does this mean the <text:tab> element knows the distance between two tab stops?

If so, that isn't what this says.