colloq. or slang. ? Obs. Also 9 Sc. tift. [Origin obscure; perh. onomatopœic; cf. TIFF v.2, TIFT v.2]
1. Liquor, esp. poor, weak, or ‘small’ liquor, ‘tipple.’
a. 1635. Corbet, Poems, On J. Dawson. So let your channels flow with single tiff, For John I hope is crown’d.
1661. A. Brome, Answ. Univ. Friend, Poems 165. Your next is money, which I promise, Full fifty pounds alas the summe is, That too shall quickly follow, if It can be rais’d from Strong or Tiffe.
1703. J. Philips, Splendid Shilling, 15. With scanty offals and small acid tiff (Wretched repast!).
1736. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict., II. Vappa,… palled wine that hath lost its strength, dead drink, poor tiff.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., Introd. Drinking acid tiff, as above mentioned.
2. A sip or little drink of punch or other diluted liquor. Cf. WHIFF.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Tiff, a small Quantity of potable Liquor, as a Tiff of Punch, etc.
1752. Fielding, Amelia, VII. x. What say you to … a tiff of punch by way of whet?
1804. Stagg, Misc. Poems (1807), 3 (E.D.D.). Monnie a tift o’ yell.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xi. Sipping his tiff of brandy punch with great solemnity.
1819. Sporting Mag., IV. 272. The gentleman can’t take a tiff of beer in a morning.
1820. Blackw. Mag., VIII. 98. We shall take a tiff of Campbell and Somerville’s best black strap.
