Tib, n.
(tɪb)
Also 6 tyb, 7 tybb, tibb(e.
[Perh. the same as Tib, a shortened hypocoristic form of the female name Isabel; now rather rude or slighting (exc. playfully); also with dim. -y or -ie, Tibbie, a common female name in the north.
But in quot. a 1553 Tib is used as short for Tibet. A St. Tibba is mentioned in O.E. Chron. an. 963 (Laud MS.).]
† 1. Formerly, a typical name for a woman of the lower classes, as in Tib and Tom (cf. Jack and Gill). Also, A girl or lass, a sweetheart, a mistress; dyslogistically, a young woman of low or loose character, a strumpet. Obs.
| 1533 J. Heywood (title) A Mery Play betwene Johan Johan the husbande, Tyb his wyfe, and syr Johan the preest. a 1553 Udall Royster D. i. iii. (Arb.) 19 (Stage direct.) Tibet Talk apace, sowyng. Ibid. ii. iii. 36 Who shall then know our Tib Talke apace trow ye? 1582 Stanyhurst æneis iv. (Arb.) 102 A coy tyb, as vagabund in this my segnorye wandring. 1589 R. Robinson Golden Mirr. (Chetham Soc.) 54 The brauest tipling tib, that is within the towne. 1618 Hornby Sco. Dronk. (1859) 19 Where tinkers and their tibs doe oft repaire. 1681 Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 1226 A Tib, mulier sordida. 1689 Descr. Summer in Poor Robin C v, When Tib and Tom upon a Holy⁓day, Make fair assault on such good things as they. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Tib, a young lass. |
2. Name for the ace of trumps in the game of gleek.
Obs. exc. Hist.| 1655 J. Cotgrave Wits Interpr. (1662) 364 The Ace is called Tib, the Knave Tom, and the four of Trumps Tidie. a 1658 Cleveland Hermaphrodite 64 That Gamester needs must overcome, That can play both with Tib and Tom. 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. xvi. (Roxb.) 71/2 The Ace is 15 in hand and 18 in play, which is called Tib. 1822 Scott Nigel xvi, Tib, which went for fifteen. |
† 3. Tib of the buttery (also simply
Tib): a goose.
Obs. slang.| 1622 Fletcher Beggar's Bush v. i, Mergery-praters, Rogers, And Tibs o' th' Buttery. 1641 Brome Jovial Crew ii. Wks. 1873 III. 388 Here's G[r]unter and Bleater, with Tib of the Buttry, And Margery Prater, all drest without suttry. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Tib of the Buttery, a Goose. 1725 New Cant. Dict. Song xviii, On Redshanks, and Tibs thou shalt ev'ry Day dine. |
† 4. [? Another word.] Name of a kind of vehicle.
Obs. rare.
| 1793 M. J. Holroyd in Girlhood of M.J.H. (1896) 243 Papa says he will have a Pole put to the Tib, that it may be drawn by the two horses, like a Curricle. 1794 Ibid. 27 June 289 The Aunts go out in the Tib, which just suits them. |
5. Comb. Tib-cat,
dial., also
Tibby-cat, a female cat (
cf. tom-cat);
Tib's Eve,
dial.: see
quots.;
on Tib's Eve, never.
| 1828 Craven Gloss., *Tib-cat, a female cat, a Tabitha. |
| 1785 Grose Dict. Vulg. T. s.v., *Saint Tibb's evening, the evening of the last day, or day of judgement; he will pay you on St. Tibb's eve (Irish). 1870 Brewer Dict. Phr. & Fable, St. Tib's Eve, never. 1893 in N. & Q. 8th Ser. IV. 507, etc. 1893 Newcastle Weekly Chron. Suppl. 23 Dec. 3 There is no such saint in the calendar as St. Tib. [But see note in Etymol.] Similar expressions to ‘Tib's Eve’ are ‘At Latter Lammas’, and ‘When two Sundays meet’, the time in each case being never. 1902 N. & Q. 9th Ser. IX. 109/1 ‘Yes..it will be on Tib's Eve, neither before nor after Christmas’, expressing thus his incredulity as to the event ever coming off. |