Tire, verb. (American).—To alarm.
1887. Morley Roberts, Western Avernus. Then getting ferocious, 'Not that I'm scared at him.' . . . Nor of you either. I've seen cow-boys, bigger men than you, and with bigger hats too—but they didn't tire me.'
Tired. Born tired, phr.
(common).—An excuse for
assumed apathy or genuine disinclination.
1899. Whiteing, John St., xxi. The fact is . . . I wos born tired, an' I don't seem ible to settle down to this 'ere ring-yer-in in the mornin', and ring-yer-out at night.
Tirly-whirly, subs. phr. (Scots).—The
female pudendum: see
Monosyllable (Burns).
d.1796. Burns, Court of Equity [MS. in Brit. Mus.]. Ye wroucht a hurly-burly in Jeanie Mitchell's tirly-wurlie.
Tirrit, subs. (old).—Fright; terror.
1598. Shakspeare, 2 Henry IV., ii. 4. Here's a goodly tumult; I'll forswear keeping house, before I'll be in these tirrits and frights.
Tiry, adj. (old colloquial).—Tired.
1611. Cory at, Crudities, 1. 33. D. My horse began to be so tiry that he would not stirre one foote.
'Tiser, subs. (journalists').—The
Morning Advertiser.
1874. Siliad, 10. The Victualler's anger, and the 'Tiser's rage.
Tish, subs. (schools and university).—A
cubicle; a partition.
Tisty-tosty, adj. phr. (old).—Swaggering;
swashing (Halliwell).
Also as in quot.
1570. Marriage, Wit and Science [Dodsley, Old Plays, ii. 376]. Now mother, I must. Chalt be a lively lad with hey tisty-tust.
Tit, subs. (old colloquial).—Orig.
anything small: hence (1) = a
small horse; and (2) a girl; a
young woman: cf. filly and
titter.
1548. Patten, Somerset's March, 92 [Oliphant, New Eng., 519. There is the Scandinavian tit (equus), it means something very small].
1577-87. Stanyhurst, Desc. Ireland, 11. If he be broken accordinglie you shall haue a little tit that will trauell a whole daie without anie bait.
1594. Barnefield, Helen's Rape [Arber], 39. But what spurres need now for an untam'd titt to be trotting.
1600. Jonson, Cynthia's Revels, Ind. I wonder that any man is so mad, to come to see these rascally tits play here.
1621. Burton, Anat. Melan., 524. A vast virago or an ugly tit.
d.1668. Denham, Poems [Chalmers, Eng. Poets, vii. 245]. Being as worthy to sit On a nambling tit As thy predecessor Dory.
1675. Cotton, Scoffer Scofft (1770), 267. The little wanton Tit . . . would both Home and Husband quit . . . To follow thee for dainty Bit.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, v. 'Pant. Prog.' Blowings, tits, pure ones, concubines.
d.1704. Brown, Works, ii. Never trust any of your tits into an inn of Court, for if you do they'll harass her about from chamber to chamber . . . and send her home with . . . perhaps a hot tail into the bargain. Ibid., iii. 197. Not that thou art so willing a tit neither, as to let every blockhead get up and ride for asking.
1706. Ward, Hud. Rediv., 1. x. 6. Mounted on Gallopers and Tits. Ibid, (c.1709), Works, iii. (1718), 307. 'Spoken on the back of an Elephant.' 'Tis a strange Tit, he neither Trots nor Paces.
1707. Farquhar, Beaux' Stratagem, i. 1. As to our hearts, I grant ye, they are as willing tits as any within twenty degrees.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 123. I've been ten years his hackney jade, But now I'm weary of the trade; Brisk English Tits can't long bear hacking. Ibid., 183. These little tits of mine, I'm sure, Can trot eleven miles an hour.
1774. Lloyd, The Poetry Professors. 'Nay, should the tits get on for once, Each rider is so grave a dunce.'
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Tit. A horse: a pretty little tit; a smart little girl. . . . Tommy Tit, a smart lively little fellow.
