Tipping, adj. (schools').—First-rate; jolly.
Tipple (or Tip), subs. (old).—1.
Drink; (2) a drinking bout
(B. E. and Grose): also tiplage
and as verb. Whence not a few
colloquial usages: e.g., on the
tipple = on the booze (q.v.); to
spoil a tip = to interrupt while
drinking; tippler = (1) a toper;
a fuddlecap, 'sots who are continually
sipping' (B. E. and
Grose); and (2) a publican (the
original meaning); tipsy =
fuddled, drunk, boosy (q.v.): also
tippled or tipt (B. E.: 'a'most
Drunk'). Also derivatives such
as tippling, tippling-house,
tipsify, tipsiness, tipsy-cake,
etc.
1450. Chester Myst. [Shakspeare Soc.]. [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 288. The Scandinavian words are filly and the verb tipple.] [Ency. and Century: Norw. tipla, 'to drink little and often.']
c.1520. Wyf of Auchtermuchty, 32. An husband, as I hard it tawld Quha weill cowld tippill owt a can.
d.1555. Latimer, Works (1854-5), i. 133. They were but tipplers, such as keep ale-houses.
1583. Grindal, Remains (1843), 138. No inn-keeper, ale-house keeper, victualler, or tipler shall admit or suffer any person or persons in his house or backside to eat, drink, or play at cards, tables, bowls, or other games, in time of Common Prayer.
1587. Harmar, Beza, 313. Gamesters, tipplers, tavern-haunters . . . and other dissolute characters.
1592. Shakspeare, Midsummer's Night's Dream, v. 1. 48. The riot of the tipsy Bachanals. Ibid. (1608), Antony and Cleop., i. 4. 19. Tippling with a slave; To reel the streets at noon.
1601. [Camden, Hist. Queen Eliz.]. Such kind of men who lurked in tippling-houses.
1611. Cotgrave, Dict., s.v. Piailleur . . . a tipler, bowser. Ibid. Berlan, a common tippling house, a house of gaming, or of any other disorder.
1615. Fletcher, Nightwalker, i. He's very merry, madam; . . . i' th' bottom o' the cellar; He sighs and tipples.
1633. Marmion, Antiquary, iv. Why, they are as jovial as twenty beggars, drink their whole cups six glasses at a health, your master's almost tipt already.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, 11. i. Deific liquor which they call piot, or tiplage.
d.1655. Adams, Works, ii. 48. If the head be well tippled [Satan] gets in and makes the eyes wanton, the tongue blasphemous and the hands ready to stab.
1672. Cotton, Virgil Travestie (1700), 128. Whil'st thou ly'st tippled, or tippling. Ibid., Scoffer Scofft, 193. Wait her and fill me out my Tipple.
1693. Dryden, Persius's Satires, iv. 73. A peel'd slic'd onion eats, and tipples verjuice.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, iv. 1. Having often renewed their tipplings, each mother's son retired on board his own ship.
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Tip. Don't spoil his Tip, don't baulk his Draught, A Tub of good tip (for Tipple) a Cask of strong Drink.
c.1709. Ward, Terræfilius, ii. 10. This inordinate Tipple-pitcher (notwithstanding his own Gluttony and Ebriety) so very busy on Sunday in persecuting all Tipplers. Ibid., Satyr against Wine (Works, 1718, iii. 185). Both kind and Tipsie lull'd themselves to Rest.
1710. Swift, Polite Conv., ii. Miss (with a glass in her hand).—Hold your tongue, Mr Neverout, don't speak in my tip.
1770. Chatterton, Revenge, ii. 4. I heard a voice within, or else I'm tipsey.
d.1790. Franklin, Autobiog., 161. Walking the rounds was often neglected, and most of the nights spent in tippling.
d.1821. Keats, Lines on Mermaid Tavern. Have ye tippled drink more fine Than mine Host's Canary wine.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, i. ix. Famous wine this—beautiful tipple—better than all your red fustian.
1847-8. Thackeray, Vanity Fair, i. She was in such a passion of tears, that they were obliged to send for Dr Floss, and half tipsify her with sal volatile.
