1849-50. Thackeray, Pendennis, xix. A man may have a very good coat of arms, and be a tiger, my boy . . . that man is a tiger, mark my word—a low man. Ibid. (1854), Character Sketches, 'The Artiste.' In France, where tigerism used to be the fashion among the painters, I make no doubt Carmine would have let his beard and wig grow, and looked the fiercest of the fierce.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, vi. xx. Nothing could be more vagrant, devil-me-carish, and, to use the slang word, tigrish, than his whole air.
3. (common).—A smart-liveried boy-groom; 'a show' servant. [Cf. tiger = generic for ornament: e.g., tiger-bittern, tiger-cowry, tiger-frog, tiger-grass, etc.] Whence (loosely) a man's out-door servant in contradistinction to a page = a ladies' attendant.
1827. Lytton, Pelham, xlv. I sent my cab-boy (vulgo Tiger) to enquire . . . whether the horse was to be sold.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, 'The Execution.' Tiger Tim was clean of limb, His boots were polished, his jacket was trim. With a very smart tie in his smart cravat, And a little cockade on the top of his hat, Tallest of boys or shortest of men, He stood in his stockings just four feet ten.
4. (American).—An intensive form of applause; an addition (cf. sense 3) thought to embellish the traditional 'three cheers': whence three cheers and a tiger = three cheers wound up by a growl, screech, or howl. [C. J. Leland: new in 1842].
5. (navvies').—Streaky bacon.
To fight the tiger, verb. phr. (American).—To gamble with professionals; also (loosely) to play cards. Hence tiger-hunter = a gambler.
1896. Lillard, Poker Stories, 87. The game proceeded, but it was plainly evident that the unsophisticated young tiger hunter had something on his mind.
See Bengal Tigers.
Tigerkin, subs. (? nonce-word).—A
cat.
1849. Lytton, Caxtons, xiv. ii. Our domesticated tigerkin.
Tight, subs. (colloquial).—In pl.
= closely fitting garments: e.g.
(1) small clothes (q.v.); and
(2) a garment fitting skin-tight
to the legs or the whole body,
either to display the form or for
freedom of movement (chiefly
theatrical).
1837. Dickens, Pickwick, i. His elevated position revealing those tights and gaiters, which, had they clothed an ordinary man, might have passed without observation.
1869. Black, In Silk Attire, xxxvi And I shall be in tights and dance a breakdown.
1887. D. Teleg., 15 Mar. Frozen in their tights or chilled to the bone in the midst of their carnivalesque revelry.
Adj. (old colloquial).—1. Generic for merit. Thus a tight (= strong or active) lad; a tight (= lively or pretty) wench; a tight (= an adroit) question; a tight (= well-built) ship; a tight (= skilful) workman; a tight (= pleasant) island, etc. Again, all tight = in good health (or form); neat and tight = in good trim.
c.1280. Havelok the Dane [E. E. T. S.], 1841. The laddes were kaske and teyte.
1553. Douglas, Bukes of Eneados, xiii., Prol. Litill lammes. Full tait and trig.
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of Shrew, ii. 1. 381. Three great argosies . . . two galliases, And twelve tight gallies. Ibid. (1608), Antony and Cleop., iv. 4. 15. My queen's . . . more tight at this than thou.
d.1656. Hall, Naomi and Ruth. Some tight vessel that holds out against wind and water.
1681. Dampier, Voyages. While they are among the English they wear good cloaths, and take delight to go neat and tight.
