TIGER, a boy employed to wait on _gentlemen_; one who waits on ladies
is a page.
TIGHT, close, stingy; hard up, short of cash; TIGHT, spruce, strong,
active; “a TIGHT lad,” a smart, active young fellow; TIGHT, drunk, or
nearly so; “TIGHT laced,” puritanical, over-precise. Money is said to
be TIGHT, when the public, from want of confidence in the aspect of
affairs, are not inclined to speculate.
TIGHTNER, a dinner, or hearty meal.
TIKE, or BUFFER LURKING, dog stealing.
TILE, a hat; a covering for the head.
“I’m a gent, I’m a gent,
In the Regent-street style,—
Examine my vest,
And look at my TILE.”—_Popular Song._
Sometimes used in another sense, “having a TILE loose,” _i.e._, being
slightly crazy.—_See_ PANTILE.
TIMBER MERCHANT, or SPUNK FENCER, a lucifer match seller.
TIME O’ DAY, a dodge, the latest aspect of affairs; “that’s your TIME
O’ DAY,” _i.e._, _Euge_, well done; to PUT A PERSON UP TO THE TIME O’
DAY, let him know what is o’clock,—to instruct him in the knowledge
needful for him.
TIN, money,—generally applied to silver.
TINGE, the percentage allowed by drapers and clothiers to their
assistants, upon the sale of old-fashioned articles.—_See_ SPIFFS.
TIN-POT, “he plays a TIN-POT game,” _i.e._, a low or shabby
one.—_Billiards._
TIP, a douceur; also to give, lend, or hand over anything to another
person; “come, TIP up the tin,” _i.e._, hand up the money; “TIP the
wink,” to inform by winking; “TIP us your fin,” _i.e._, give me your
hand; “TIP one’s boom off,” to make off, depart.—_Sea._ “To miss one’s
TIP,” to fail in a scheme.—_Old cant._
TIP THE DOUBLE, to “bolt,” or run away from a creditor or officer.
Sometimes TIP THE DOUBLE TO SHERRY, _i.e._, to the sheriff.
TIP-TOP, first-rate, of the best kind.
TIPTOPPER, a “swell,” or dressy man, a “_Gorger_.”
TIT, favourite name for a horse.
TIT FOR TAT, an equivalent.
TITIVATE, to put in order, or dress up.
TITLEY, drink.
TITTER, a girl.
’TIZER, the _Morning Advertiser_.
TIZZY, a sixpence. Corruption of TESTER.
TOASTING FORK, derisive term for a sword.
TOBY CONSARN, a highway expedition.
TOBY, a road; “high TOBY,” the turnpike road. “High TOBY spice,”
robbery on horse-back.—_Don Juan_, canto xi., 19.
TODDLE, to walk as a child.
TO-DO (pronounced quickly, and as one word), a disturbance, trouble;
“here’s a pretty TO-DO,” here is an unpleasant difficulty. This exactly
tallies with the _French_ word AFFAIRE (_a faire_).—_See Forby’s
Vocabulary of East Anglia._
TOFFER, a well dressed, “gay” woman.
TOFFICKY, dressy, showy.
TOFT, a showy individual, a SWELL, a person who, according to a
Yorkshireman’s vocabulary, is UP-ISH.