Obs. exc. dial. [Origin uncertain; in quots. c. 1425, 1600 it appears to be a var. of TIFF v.1; but in the rest it may be a different word: cf. TIFT sb.1, TIFT ppl. a.] trans. To prepare, make ready, put in order; to dress.
13[?]. Cursor M., 19425 (Cott.). Steuen tifted him al bun [so Gött.; Fairf. & Tr. made him redi bun], And þan bigan a gret sarmun.
c. 1425. St. Mary of Oignies, I. i., in Anglia, VIII. 135/34. Tressynge and tifting of here [= hair].
1600. Abp. Abbot, Exp. Jonah, 591. Beholding a woman most curiously trimmed, and exquisitely tiffted up.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 32. There are many thinges belonge to tiftinge of hay; as spreadinge … turninge, rakinge, and cockinge. Ibid., 33. If it [hay] bee eyther wette or greene when yow cocke it, yow are not to lette it stande above three dayes afore yow throwe it out againe and gette it well tifted [pr. tifled] in. Ibid., 61. For tiftinge of a newe hive.
1790. Morison, Poems, 25 (Jam.). The fidler tifted ilka string.
1876. Whitby Gloss., s.v., ‘Tifted up,’ cleansed and put into order.
