Obs. [a. OF. tifer, tiffer to adorn (12th c. in Godef.), mod.F. attifer: see ATIFFE.]
1. trans. To attire, dress, deck out, trick out, ‘tittivate’ (one’s person, hair, etc.). (In 18th c. like F. attifer, usually familiar.)
a. 1225. [see TIFFING vbl. sb.].
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 3201. Ȝyf þou tyfyst þe ouer proudly.
13[?]. K. Alis., 4109. Theo maydenes lokyn in the glas, For to tyffen [Land MS. atyffen] heore fas.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3183. Knew þow nouȝt … þat i was tiffed in a-tir when i wend fro þe.
1382. [see TIFFLE 1].
1729. Mrs. Delany, in Life & Corr. (1861), I. 225. I am sorry your ladies should tiff anything but their hair.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), I. 40. Her desire of tiffing out her mistress in a killing attire.
b. absol. or intr.
1700. Congreve, Way of World, II. iv. Poor Mincing tift and tift all the morning.
1741. Mrs. Montagu, Lett. (1906), I. 65. While Deb is tiffing and tiffing till my hair is so pure and so crisp.
2. trans. a. To put in order, arrange. b. To prepare, make, construct.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1129. & þay busken vp bilyue, blonkkez to sadel, Tyffen her takles, trussen her males.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4465. Sum [idols] ere tiffid all of tree, and sum of tyn pured.
3. intr. To be idly employed, be busy about trifles.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 493/2. Tyffyn, werke ydylly, idem quod tymeryn.
Hence † Tiffed ppl. a., tricked out, adorned (in quot. fig.): see also TIFT ppl. a.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 11763. Yn tyfed [v.r. tyffede] wurdys þat slyked are, Semeþ þy synnes þat þey noȝt were.
