Tit

subs. (old colloquial).—Orig. anything small: hence (1) = a small horse; and (2) a girl; a young woman: cf. FILLY and TITTER.

  1548.  W. PATTEN, Somerset’s March, 92 [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, 519. There is the Scandinavian TIT (equus), it means something very small].

  1577–87.  STANYHURST, Description of Ireland, 11. If he be broken accordinglie you shall haue a little TIT that will trauell a whole daie without anie bait.

  1594.  BARNFIELD, Helen’s Rape [ARBER], 39. But what spurres need now for an untam’d TITT to be trotting.

  1600.  JONSON, Cynthia’s Revels, Induction. I wonder that any man is so mad, to come to see these rascally TITS play here.

  1621.  BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy, 524. A vast virago or an ugly TIT.

  d. 1669.  J. DENHAM, Poems [CHALMERS, English Poets, vii. 245], ‘To Sir John Mennis.’

  1675.  COTTON, Burlesque upon Burlesque: or, The Scoffer Scofft (1725), 263.

  1694.  MOTTEUX, Rabelais, v. ‘The Pantagruelian Prognostication.’ Blowings, TITS, pure ones, concubines.

  d. 1704.  T. BROWN, Works, ii. Never trust any of your TITS into an inn of Court, for if you do they’ll harass her about from chamber to chamber … and send her home with … perhaps a hot tail into the bargain. Ibid., iii. 197. Not that thou art so willing a TIT neither, as to let every blockhead get up and ride for asking.

  1706.  WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, I. x. 6. Mounted on Gallopers and TITS. Ibid., (c. 1709), Works, iii. (1718), 307. ‘Spoken on the back of an Elephant.’ ’Tis a strange TIT, he neither Trots nor Paces.

  1707.  FARQUHAR, The Beaux Stratagem, i. 1. As to our hearts, I grant ye, they are as willing TITS as any within twenty degrees.

  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 123.

  1769.  CHURCHILL, The Poetry Professors, ll. 15–6.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. TIT. A horse: a pretty little TIT; a smart little girl…. TOMMY TIT, a smart lively little fellow.

  1811.  GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. KEEP. … Mother, your TIT won’t keep; your daughter will not preserve her virginity.

  3.  (colloquial).—A small portion; a morsel: whence TIT-BIT = a choice piece; ‘a fine snack’ (B. E. and GROSE); anything specially selected.

  1730.  SWIFT, Directions to Servants, xv. You and your Steward may have a TIT-BIT together.

  1841.  Punch, i. 6. The sneaking Whigs were helping themselves to all the fat TIT-BITS.

  4.  See TITMOUSE.

  5.  (Durham: local).—A student of Durham University: in contempt. Also ’VARSITY TIT.

  TIT FOR TAT, phr. (colloquial).—Originally TAP FOR TAP (or TIP FOR TAP) = blow for blow; ‘an equivalent’ (GROSE); ‘tant for tant (B. E.), TIT FOR TIT, and dash for dash.’ Hence, TO GIVE TIT FOR TAT = to give as good as one gets.

  1577.  BULLINGER, Works, I. 283. Let every young man be persuaded and keep in memory, that his duty is … not to answer TIP FOR TAP, but to suffer much and wink thereat.

  1598.  SHAKESPEARE, 2 Henry IV., ii. 1. 205. This is the right fencing grace, my lord; TAP FOR TAP, and so part fair.

  1607.  DEKKER, Northward Hoe, ii. 1. Doll. Come TIT ME, come TAT ME, come throw a kiss at me—how is that? Capt. By Gad, I know not what your TIT-MEES and TAT-MEES are, but … I know what kisses be.

  1766.  COLMAN and GARRICK, The Clandestine Marriage, v. 2. TIT FOR TAT, Betsey! You are right, my girl.

  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 17.

  c. 1859.  PALMERSTON [MCCARTHY, A History of Our Own Times, xxiii.]. I have had my TIT-FOR-TAT with John Russell, and I turned him out on Friday last.

  See TALE.