colloq. [Origin obscure; prob. onomatopœic, from the sound of a slight puff of air or gas.]
1. A slight outburst or fit of temper, pettishness, or ill-humor. Now rare or merged in 2.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Tiff,… also a small Fit of Anger, etc.
1729. Mrs. Delany, in Life & Corr. (1861), I. 230. That common compassion (says he in a tiff) would give me but little satisfaction.
1739. R. Bull, trans. Dedekindus’ Grobianus, 102. Returning homewards in a furious Tiff.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Tiff, a pet; slight anger. ‘She was in a tiff.’
1871. Carlyle, in Mrs. C.’s Lett. (1883), II. 164. Abrupt Captain Anthony being in some tiff of his own.
2. A slight or petty quarrel; a temporary ill-humored disagreement; a ‘breeze’; sometimes applied to a more serious quarrel.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1781), IV. xxxviii. 268. My Lord and I have had another little Tiff, shall I call it? it came not up to a quarrel.
1755. Kidgell, Card, II. 150. Your dear Letter fell into Mamma’s Hands, and … Madam thought herself entitled to open it.—So, my Dear, we had a violent Tiff upon it.
1868. Louisa M. Alcott, Little Women, ix. More friendly than ever after their small tiff.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., I. xi. 145. ‘Little tiffs’ are frequent when the senatorial majority is in opposition to the executive.
3. A short outburst (of laughter, etc.). rare.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VII. i. II. 149. Wilhelmina … answered … him with tiffs of laughter, in a prettily fleering manner.
