To tatter a kip, verb. phr. (old).—To wreck a brothel.
1766. Goldsmith, Vicar; xx. My business was . . . to assist at tattering a kip, as the phrase was, when he had a mind for a frolic.
Tattle-box, subs. phr. (common).—A
chatterbox: also tattler =
a gossip: see Tittle-tattle.
c. 1709. Ward, Terræfilius, i. iv. 36. She is an invidious Tattle-Box that rattles people out of their Senses.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, iv. vi. Oliver Whiddles—the tatler old! Telling what best had been left untold.
Tattle-de-moy, subs. phr. (?
nonce-word).—See quot.
1676. [Southey, Doctor (1834) xciv.]. A Tattle-de-moy . . . was a new-fashioned thing in . . . 1676, 'much like a saraband, only it had in it more of conceit and of humour. . . .' Thomas Mace invented it . . . and he called it a tattle-de-moy 'because it tattles and seems to speak those very words or syllables.'
Tattler, subs. (Old Cant).—A
watch (Grose); spec. 'an Alarm,
or Striking Watch or (indeed)
any' (B. E.). Hence to flash
a tattler = to wear a watch;
to speak to a tattler = to
steal a watch: Also tattle.
1781. Messink, Choice of Harlequin, 'Frisky Moll's Song' A famble, a tattle, and two pops Had my bowman when he was ta'en.
1823. Egan, Dict. Turf, s.v. Tattler . . . Doughey drew a gold tattler, and got two p'nd ten of the fence for it; so my regulars is ten bob.
1878. Hindley, Catnach. . . . Speak to the tattler, bag the swag, And finely hunt the dummy.
Tattling fellow (or woman),
subs. phr. (old: B. E.).—'Prating,
impertinent.'
Tattoo. See Devil's Tattoo,
adding Grose (1785) and quot.
infra as authorities.
1841. Lytton, Night and Morning. Mr. Gawtrey remained by the fire beating the devil's tattoo upon the chimney-*piece, and ever and anon turned his glance towards Lilburne, who seemed to have forgotten his existence.
Taunton-turkey, subs. phr.
(American).—A herring: cf.
Billingsgate-pheasant, Glasgow-magistrate,
etc.
1850. Allin [Mrs. A. A. Curtis], Home Ballads. Our fisheries o'er the world are famed, The mackerel, shad, and cod! And Taunton turkeys are so thick, We sell them by the rod!
Taut, adj. (nautical).—Severe.
Hence taut hand = a disciplinarian
(Clark Russell).
Tavern (The), subs. (Oxford
Univ.).—New Inn Hall. [A
punning allusion: also because
the buttery is open all day long.]
1853. Bradley, Verdant Green, iii. xi. Little Mr. Bouncer had abandoned his intention of obtaining a licet migrare to the Tavern, and had decided . . . to remain at Brazenface.
To hunt a tavern fox (or to swallow a tavern token), verb. phr. (old).—To get drunk. Hence 'the tavern bitch has bit him in the head' (or taverned) = drunk: see Screwed. Also taverner = a tippler.
1340. Ayenbite of Inwyt, 51. [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 30. We light upon the tavernyer or tavern-haunter; this has given rise to an English surname.]
1596. Jonson, Every Man in Humour, i. 3. Drunk, sir! you hear not me say so; perhaps hes swallowed a tavern token, or some such device.
1602. Dekker, Honest Whore, i. 4. s.v.
1630. Taylor, Old Parr [Harl. Misc., vii. 76]. Else he had little leisure time to waste, Or at the ale-house huff-*cap ale to taste; Nor did he ever hunt a tavern fox.
