Dictionary: TID – TIE

• TID
adj. 1. lively, sprightly, frolicsome; skittish, restless, fidgety …1825 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. childish, silly, affecting simplicity …1856 Eng. dial.
adj. 3. cunningly reserved …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 4. fond of, attached to; careful of, solicitous about …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 5. tender; nice, fanciful …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 1. a teat; the udder …1684 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a fit or favourable time of season; an opportunity, occasion …1721 Sc.
n. 3. a fit of ill-humour or temper …1773 Sc.
n. 4. a humour, mood, or fancy to do something …a1774 Sc.
n. 5. a girl or woman …1888
n. 6. a term of affection or endearment …1896 Sc.
vb. to choose the right time for; to time, esp. with reference to land or crops …1808 Sc.

• TIDAL WAVE
n. a great progressive movement or manifestation of feeling, opinion, or the like …1884

• TIDD
adj. 1. cunningly reserved …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. fond of, attached to; careful of, solicitous about …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 3. tender; nice, fanciful …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
vb. to bring up, to rear, to tend, to care for …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDEN
adj. tender; painful, hard to put up with …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDER
adj. sooner, earlier, quicker …1790 Eng. dial.
vb. to be prolific or productive; to produce offspring …a1000 obs.

• TIDDERLY-PUSH
n. 1923 colloq. – a word substituted for the name of a person or thing which the speaker has forgotten, does not know, or is unwilling to mention; a thingummy

• TIDDIE
adj. cross in temper; uncertain, crotchety; eccentric …1899 Sc.

• TIDDIVATE
vb. to ‘titivate’; to smarten up; to ornament, to bedeck; to put the final touches to dress …1877 Eng. dial.

• TIDDIVATION
n. smartening, adornment, bedeckment …1847 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLE
n. a seesaw …2007 Amer. dial.
vb. 1. to fondle or indulge to excess; to pet, to pamper; to tend carefully, to nurse, to cherish …1560 obs. exc. Eng. dial. or sl.
vb. 2. to potter; to trifle; to fidget, to fuss …1747 obs. exc. Eng. dial. or sl.
vb. 3. to tickle …1892 Eng. dial.
vb. 4. to bring up a lamb or young animal by hand …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
vb. 5. to entice, to coax …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
vb. 6. to urinate …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLE-A-WINK
n. an unlicensed public-house or pawnshop; a small beer-shop …1844 sl.

• TIDDLE BOARD
n. a seesaw …1933 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLED
adj. drunk …1956 sl.

• TIDDLEDEWINKS
n. an area of yielding ice made naturally or deliberately on a body of water; the sport of running or skating over such ice …1962 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLEDIES
n. an area of yielding ice made naturally or deliberately on a body of water; the sport of running or skating over such ice …1887 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLEDYWINKS
n. an area of yielding ice made naturally or deliberately on a body of water; the sport of running or skating over such ice …2001 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLER
n. 1. any small fish, often specifically the minnow or stickleback …1885 sl.
n. 2. a small trout …1898 Sc.
n. 3. a feather or feather-brush for tickling …1900 sl.
n. 4. a lamb brought up by hand …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 5. a small coin, such as a silver threepenny piece or a 1/2p coin …1966 Brit. sl.

• TIDDLE-TOPE
n. the wren, Troglodytes parvulus …1874 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLEWINKS
n. knickknacks of victuals …1893 sl.

• TIDDLEY
adj. mildly drunk …1905 sl.
n. alcohol …1859 sl.

• TIDDLEY-WINK
n. an unlicensed public-house or pawnshop; a small beer-shop …1844 sl.

• TIDDLIES
n. an area of yielding ice made naturally or deliberately on a body of water; the sport of running or skating over such ice …1877 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLING
adj. 1. over-indulgent …16C obs.
adj. 2. topmost …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 1. a delicate child needing care; a young animal, esp. a lamb, brought up by hand …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 2. the smallest pig in a litter …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLING BOARD
n. a seesaw …1933 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLING TOP
n. the very highest point, the summit …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLY
adj. 1. very small; small and helpless …1885 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. mildly drunk …1905 sl.
n. 1. alcohol …1859 sl.
n. 2. an area of yielding ice made naturally or deliberately on a body of water; the sport of running or skating over such ice …1931 Amer. dial.
vb. to do the lighter kind of housework …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLY-BENDER
n. an area of yielding ice made naturally or deliberately on a body of water; the sport of running or skating over such ice …1878 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLY-LAMB
n. a lamb brought up by hand …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLY PUSH
int. c1920-1940 – a nonsense word for goodbye
(nouns as ‘tiddlypush’
n. 1. 1923 colloq. – a word substituted for the name of a person or thing which the speaker has forgotten, does not know, or is unwilling to mention; a thingummy
n. 2. 1934 Irish sl. – the male genitals

• TIDDLYWINK
adj. drunk …1890 Eng. dial.
n. 1. an unlicensed public-house or pawnshop; a small beer-shop …1844 sl.
n. 2. an unlicensed pawnbroker’s shop …1878 Eng. dial.

• TIDDLYWINKER
n. a cheat; a trifler …1893 sl.

• TIDDLYWINKING
adj. trifling, pottering …1869 sl.

• TIDDLYWINKS
n. an area of yielding ice made naturally or deliberately on a body of water; the sport of running or skating over such ice …1909 Amer. dial.

• TIDDLYWINKY
adj. tiny, insignificant …1901 Eng. dial.

• TIDDY
adj. 1. very small, tiny …1781 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. babyish …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 3. puny, weakly, delicate …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adv. very softly and with very little noise …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 1. the breast; mother’s milk …1854 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a sister; also, a term or term of address for a woman …1864 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a teat …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDY BABY
n. a whiner, a crybaby …1996 Amer. dial.

• TIDDY-BIT
n. a small amount; a bit …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• TIDDY-DOLL
n. a spoiled, babyish, dressed-up girl or woman; a slattern, a woman who is not domesticated …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDY-IDDY
adj. tiny, very small …1841 Eng. dial.

• TIDDY-OBBIN
n. a little robin …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDYSOM
adj. tedious, wearisome …1824 Eng. dial.

• TIDDYTOIT
vb. to loiter, to idle; to waste time …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDDYTOITY
vb. to loiter, to idle, to waste time …B1900 Eng. dial.

• TIDDY UMPTY
adv. completely, entirely …1930s African-American sl.

• TIDDYWHOPPER
n. an untruth, a falsehood …B1900 Eng. dial. obs.

• TIDE
adv. soon …Bk1905 Eng. dial. obs.
n. 1. any definite time in the course of the day. as noon-tide, etc.; the point at which any hour is completed …a700 obs.
n. 2. a suitable, favourable, or proper time or occasion; season; opportunity …c888 arch.
n. 3. the water of the sea; the sea, esp. when the tide is flowing …1791 poetical
n. 4. an annual feast or festivity; a fair …1865 Eng. dial.
n. 5. the water in a dock or harbour; the seashore …1867 Sc.
vb. to happen, to befall …a1131 arch.

• TIDE-EDDY
n. a whirlpool …1966 Amer. dial.

• TIDEFUL
adj. seasonable, opportune, right, fit, convenient, expedient …a1300 obs.

• TIDEFULLY
adv. opportunely …a1340 obs.

• TIDEFULNESS
n. a fit or expedient season; time of need …a1340 obs.

• TIDELESS-BLOODED
adj. whose blood is unstirred by passion or emotion …1785

• TIDEMENT
n. time, tide, season …1560 obs. rare

• TIDES-WAY
n. the way of the tide …1627 obs.

• TIDE-TIMES
n. holiday times such as at Christmas, Easter, etc. …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDE-WAITER
n. 1. a customs officer who awaited the arrival of ships (formerly coming in with the tide), and boarded them to prevent the evasion of the custom-house regulations …1699 now Hist.
n. 2. one who waits for a favourable season …1841

• TIDE WALKER
n. a log floating, often with only one end at the surface, in coastal waters …1918 Amer. dial.

• TIDE-WISE
adv. at times, now and then …1611 obs.

• TIDIER
adj. better …1877 Eng. dial.

• TIDILY
adv. 1. in moderately good health, fairly well; improving in health …1865 Eng. dial.
adv. 2. considerably, a good deal …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adv. 3. handily, smartly, well done …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDING
adj. that ebbs and flows; tidal …1622
n. 1. custom, usage …c1205 obs. rare
n. 2. something that happens; an event, incident, occurrence …c1205 obs. or arch.
n. 3. the flowing or rising of the tide …1593 obs.
n. 4. a present bought at a feast …1899 Eng. dial.

• TIDINGS
n. indications, traces …a1440 obs. rare

• TIDIVE
adj. timely, opportune …a1700 obs. rare

• TIDLEY
n. the wren, Troglodytes parvulus …1884 Eng. dial.

• TIDLEY-WINK
n. an unlicensed public-house or pawnshop; a small beer-shop …1844 sl.

• TIDLING
n. a pampered or spoiled child; a darling, a pet; a young, delicate, or puny child or animal in need of special care; a weakling …1520 obs. exc. Eng. dial.

• TIDNEY
adj. small, tiny …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDOLOGY
n. the study or science that treats of the tides …1834 rare

• TIDY
adj. 1. good, excellent, satisfactory, useful; of good character or ability; worthy, brave; able, skilful …c1350 obs.
adj. 2. timely, seasonable, opportune; in season …c1350 obs.
adj. 3. in good or tolerably good health; well; plump, in good condition; comely …1776 Sc. & Eng. dial.
adj. 4. honest, decent, respectable; thrifty, frugal …1813 Eng. dial.
adj. 5. considerable in size, number, etc.; large, great, numerous …1870 Eng. dial.
adj. 6. lucky, favourable …1800 Eng. dial.
adj. 7. smart, brisk, quick …1899 Eng. dial.
adj. 8. intelligent, clever …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 9. pregnant …Bk1905 Sc.
adj. 10. well-to-do, prosperous …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 1. a pinafore or overall to keep clothes from dirt or grease …a1825 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a bag or other receptacle in which to keep scraps, odds and ends, etc. …1828
n. 3. an ornamental covering, esp. of fancywork, used to protect the back, arm, or headrest of a chair or other piece of furniture from soiling. an antimacassar …1848 Amer. dial.

• TIDY-BETTY
n. an ash-pan …1884 Eng. dial.

• TIDY COW
 n. a cow giving milk …1493 Sc. obs.

• TIDYISH
adj. considerable; many …1895 Eng. dial.

• TIDY-LIKE
adj. fairly well, in moderate health …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIDY-SIZED
adj. of a good or considerable size …1892 Eng. dial.

• TIDY TO DO
adj. well-to-do, prosperous …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIE
n. 1. obligation, moral compulsion; necessity; constraint, burden, care …1724-32 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a knot of hair; a pigtail …1728
n. 3. an impediment, an obstruction …1885 Eng. dial.
n. 4. a feather-bed; a bed of any kind …1900 Eng. dial.
n. 5. a foot-race between two competitors …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 6. a pinafore …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
vb. 1. in hunting, of a hound: to linger upon the scent instead of following it swiftly; to loiter, to lag …1781
vb. 2. to marry …1790 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 3. to constrain, to oblige, to compel; to bind by moral compulsion …1856 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 4. to freeze …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIE A BAG ON
vb. 1940s US sl. – to go on a drinking spree; to get drunk

• TIE A BUN ON
vb. to get drunk …1901 sl.

• TIE A CAN ON
vb. to go on a drinking spree; to get drunk …1951 US sl.

• TIE A CAN ON SOMEONE
vb. 1926 US sl. – to dismiss; to discharge

• TIE A CAN TO
vb. to get rid of or dismiss; to quit or stop …1899 US sl.

• TIE A PERSON’S TONGUE
vb. to prevent him from speaking; to compel to be silent …1889

• TIE BAGS
vb. to get married …World War I Amer. sl.

• TIE-DOG
n. a dog kept tied or chained up, either to guard a house or because fierce …c1290 obs.

• TIED TO A WOMAN’S APRON-STRINGS
adj. dangling after a woman …18C sl.

• TIED UP
adj. constipated …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIEGO
n. vertigo …1634 obs.

• TIELEDDER
adv. at a great pace, running very fast …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIE NECK ANDHEELS
vb. to confine or bind securely …1701

• TIE OFF
vb. to prevent, to prohibit …1894 Eng. dial.

• TIE ONE ON
vb. to drink to excess …1951 sl., chiefly US

• TIE ONE’S FACE IN A KNOT
vb. to become angry, agitated, or bewilderingly excited …20C Aust. sl.

• TIE ONE’S HAIR WITHOUT A WHANG
vb. to deceive one …Bk1905 Sc.

• TIE ONE’S MOUTH
vb. to be silent …1949 Amer. dial.

• TIE PASS
n. an imaginary ticket entitling one to walk along a railroad track …1879 Amer. dial.

• TIER
n. a pinafore or apron to protect the dress …1846

• TIERCE
n. a third part …1491 obs.

• TIER-RANGER
n. a (Thames) river thief …1858

• TIESOME
adj. binding, or confining, as requiring constant attention …Bk1905 Eng. dial.

• TIE THAT BULL INSIDE!
int. stop talking rubbish! …1921 US sl.

• TIE THAT BULL OUTSIDE!
int. I don’t believe it …1921 US sl.

• TIE THAT BULL TO ANOTHER ASHCAN!
int. I don’t believe it …1921 US sl.

• TIE THE HANDS OF
vb. to deprive of freedom of action …1642

• TIE THE KNOT
vb. to marry; to get married …1717 sl.

• TIE-TICKET
n. an imaginary ticket entitling one to walk along a railroad track …1878 Amer. dial.

• TIE TO THE STAKE
vb. to put into a position from which there is no escape …1579 obs.

• TIE-UP
n. 1. 1818 – in boxing: a knock-out blow → sl.
n. 2. 1881 – an entanglement  
n. 3. 1889 – a stoppage of work or business, esp. on account of a lock-out or strike  
(verbs usually as ‘tie up’)
vb. 1. 1760 – to give up, to desist from; to quit a course of action → sl.
vb. 2. 1818 – to vanquish or disable in a contest → sl.
vb. 3. 1894 – to join in marriage → colloq. or sl.
vb. 4. 1903 – in boxing: to knock out → sl.
vb. 5. 1905 – to place in a difficult position → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
vb. 6. 1960 – to inject narcotics into a vein, or tie a rubber tubing around one’s arm in order to find a vein → US drug culture sl. 

• TIE UP ONE’S MOUTH
vb. 1922 – to be silent → Amer. dial.

• TIE-WIG
n. 1713 – a wig having the hair gathered together behind and tied with a knot of ribbon

• TIE WITH ST. MARY’S KNOT
vb. 1600 – to cut the sinews of the hams of an animal; to hamstring → obs. exc. Sc.