Chiefly dial. Also 8–9 tit-up. [app. echoic, from the sound of the horse’s feet.]
1. A horse’s canter; a hand-gallop; also, a curvet.
1703. E. Ward, Lond. Spy, VI. (1706), 145. Citizens in Crowds … all upon the Tittup, as if he who Rid not a Gallop was to Forfeit his Horse. Ibid. (1710), Poet’s Ramble, 6. With Whip and Spur, he might be beat-up, Into a Canterbury Tit-up.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., IV. 322. I … Had held his bridle, walked his managed mule Without a tittup the procession through.
1882. Lanc. Gloss., Titherup, a hand-gallop. From the sound. Also called tit-up.
† b. transf. A cantering horse. Obs.
1805. in Essex Herald, 2 April (1901), 8/2. Dianas also of the Chase,… some in riding habit, mounted on titups, others … in gigs.
c. 1875. [Remembered in use in Westmorland].
2. An impudent or forward woman or girl; a hussy, a minx, [Cf. TIT sb.3 2.] dial.
1762. D. Garrick, Farmer’s Return fr. Lond., 9. Some Tittups I saw, and they maade me to stare!
[1901. F. E. Taylor, Folk-Speech S. Lanc. (E.D.D.), Titty-ups, also … titty-haups, a pert, forward girl.]
3. As adv. With a tittup; at a canter.
a. 1764. R. Lloyd, Poet. Wks. (1774), II. 82. Perhaps my muse … Which, slouching in the doggrel lay, Goes tittup all her easy way.
4. On the tittup (dial.), in a state of excitement; mentally upset.
1906. Westm. Gaz., 6 Oct., 2/2. He couldn’t find it [the wedding ring]…. Everything was at a standstill, and we was all on the titup.
