tiffs

Noun (1)

tiff (plural tiffs)

1. (informal) A (generally small) argument or disagreement; a petty quarrel, a spat.
   • My Lord and I have had another little—Tiff, ſhall I call it? It came not up to a quarrel. Married people vvould have enough to do, if they vvere to trouble their friends every time they miſunderſtood one another.1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XV. Lady G[randison] to Miss Byron.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C....

   Synonyms:

   tift, miff

2. (archaic, informal) A brief outburst or period of bad temper; a snit; also (rare) any brief outburst (for example, of laughter).
   • [A]s if / Returning homevvards in a furious Tiff; / Your Hoſt declares, he's ſorry at his Heart, / And humbly acts the penitential Part.1739, Friderick Dedekindus [i.e., Friedrich Dedekind], chapter I, in Roger Bull [pseudonym], transl., Grobianus; or, The Compleat Booby. An Ironical Poem. […], London: […] T. Cooper, […], →OCLC, 2nd...

Noun (2)

tiff (countable and uncountable, plural tiffs)

1. (archaic, countable, informal, obsolete, slang) A small draught or sip of liquor (especially diluted or poor quality liquor) or punch.
   • Come, Captain, let not your noble Courage be caſt dovvn; vvhat ſay you to a Glaſs of vvhite VVine, or a Tiff of Punch, by VVay of VVhet?1751 December (indicated as 1752), Henry Fielding, “In which are Many Profound Secrets of Philosophy”, in Amelia, volume III, London: […] [William Strahan] for A[ndrew] Millar […], →OCLC, book VIII...

   Synonyms:

   tift, whiff

2. (archaic, informal, obsolete, slang, uncountable) Liquor, especially diluted or poor quality liquor.
   • By dint of drinking acid tiff, as above mentioned, and smoking segars, in which I am no novice, my Public are to be informed, that I gradually drank and smoked myself into a certain degree of acquaintance with un homme comme il faut [a proper man], one of the few fine old specimens of nobility who...1823, [Walter Scott], “Introduction”, in Quentin Durward. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page xiii

   Synonyms:

   tift

Noun (3)

tiff (plural tiffs)

1. (archaic, informal, obsolete, rare, slang) The way in which one's body or hair is decked out or dressed.
   • Did you mark the beau Tiff of his VVig, vvhat a deal of Pains he took to toſs it back, vvhen the very VVeight thereof vvas like to dravv him from his Seat?1703, “The Levellers: A Dialogue between Two Young Ladies, Concerning Matrimony, […]”, in Samuel Johnson, William Oldys, editors, The Harleian Miscellany: […], volume V, London: […] T[homas] Osborne...

   Synonyms:

   getup, outfit

See all 13 meanings of tiff