subs., adj., verb and intj. (old).—Primarily a hunting call: a note on the horn. As subs. = (1) full chase; (2) = violent movement; (3) a fox-hunting parson; and (4) temp. Charles II., a High Tory: also TANTIVY-BOY. As adj. = swift. As verb = to racket, to gallop, to rush.
c. 1602. [Scotland Characterised, etc. (1701), Harleian Miscellany, VII. 380]. In the Time of King James I, soon after his Coming into England, one of his own Country thus accosted him, ‘Sir, says he, I am sorry to see your Majesty so dealt with by your Prelatical TANTIVIES.’
1641. R. BROME, A Joviall Crew, iv. 1. He is the merriest man alive: up at five a clock in the morning … and TANTIVY all the country over.
d. 1658. CLEVELAND, Works, 93 (ed. 1677). Sir, I expected to hear from you in the Language of the lost Groat, and the Prodigal Son, and not in such a TANTIVY of Language.
1690. The Pagan Prince. How the Palatine was restor’d to his Palatinate in Albion, and how he RODE TANTIVY to Papimania [Chapter Title].
1694. MOTTEUX, Rabelais, v. ‘The Pantagruelian Prognostication,’ Braggadocios, tory-rory rakes and TANTIVY BOYS; peppered, clapped, and poxed dabblers.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. TANTIVY-BOIES, high-Flyers, or High-flown Church-men, in opposition to the moderate Church-men; or Latitudinarians, a lower sort of Flyers, like Batts, between Church-men and Dissenters.
1697. VANBRUGH, Æsop, ii. 1. Æsop. To boot and saddle again they sound. Rog. Ta ra! tan tan ta ra!… TANTIVE! TANTIVE! TANTIVE! &c.
1711. SWIFT, The Journal to Stella, 10 Oct., xxxii. An ambitious TANTIVY, missing of his towering hopes of preferment in Ireland, is come over to vent his spleen on the late ministry, &c.
d. 1735. ARBUTHNOT, The State Quacks. This sort, however, is not in Esteem with the HIGH TANTIVEE Scaramouches, who reject it as fit for none but Pedants.
1740. R. NORTH, Examen, I. ii. 130. About half a dozen of the TANTIVIES were mounted on the Church of England, booted and spurred, RIDING it, like an old hack, TANTIVY to Rome. This … led to a common use of slighting and opprobrious words, such as Yorkist…. Then they came to TANTIVY, which implied RIDING post to Rome.
1796. BURNEY, Camilla, III. viii. Pray, where are they gone TANTIVYING?
1843. MACAULAY, Essays, ‘Comic Dramatists of the Restoration.’ Collier … was a Tory of the highest sort, such as in the cant of his age was called a TANTIVY.
1854. THOREAU, Walden, ‘Sounds.’ The TANTIVY of wild pigeons, flying by twos and threes athwart my view, or perching restless on the white-pine boughs behind my house, gives a voice to the air.
1876. G. ELIOT, Daniel Deronda, xxxi. Being Lady Certainly—and Lady Perhaps—and grand here—and TANTIVY there.
1893. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 33, ‘On the Road.’ Oh, scissors! jest didn’t we give ’em TANTIVY!
