Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 3–7 tyce, 4–6 tise, 4–7 tyse, 5–6 Sc. tyss, (6 Sc. tist, tyst, tyist(e, tyisce), 5–7 (9 dial.) tice, 7 (9 dial.) ’tice. [Aphetic form of atise, ATTICE or ENTICE, but found earlier than either of these, and perhaps taken immediately from OF. a-tiser, dropping the prefix.] trans. To entice; to induce or attract by the offer of pleasure or advantage. Also absol.
c. 1275. Moral Ode (Jesus MS.), 266. Þe þat were gaderares of þisse worldes ayhte And duden þat þe loþe gost heom tycede [v.rr. hechte to, tihte] and tahte.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 2152. To tyse a chylde swyche synne to do.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. xii. 548. Which schulde rather lette fro glorie than tice into glorie.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. xviii. (S.T.S.), I. 103. He tyistit þe ȝoung men of his ciete to his purpois.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., 48 b. If one tice a Prentise to roble his Maister, it is Felony.
a. 1835. Mrs. Hemans, Lett., in Chorley, Mem. (1837), I. 299. An old gardener of ours used to say of me … that Miss Felicia ‘ticed him to do whatever she pleased.’
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, xxxix. He’s been false to me, and ’ticed her away.
Hence Ticing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
a. 1400. Hampole’s Psalter, liii. 4. Þat þai take me not in þaire wickidnes & liþere eggynge [v.r. tisynge].
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 31. For na mede na othir tyssing.
1568. in H. Fleming, Mary Q. of Scots (1897), 512. Be persuasioun and tyisting.
1582. T. Watson, Centurie of Loue, lxxii. (Arb.), 108. My Loue, Whose tising face is of more liuely hewe.
1646. H. P., Medit. Seige, 69. What a ticeing bayt is golden hope!
