Middle English Dictionary Entry
titten v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | titten v.(1) Also tite; p. tit(te, tite, tid; ppl. tit, titted. |
| Etymology | Chiefly N. Origin unknown; cp. MScot. (1375) tit v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To pull (sb. or sth.), draw, tug; also, pull (sb. from a saddle); pull at (a body), stretch, distend; ~ doun; ~ of, pull off (clothing, an animal's skin); ~ to, fasten (gates), pull to; (b) to take (sth.), seize; ?also, appropriate (sth. to oneself); (c) to hold (sb.) back, hinder, stop.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)1021 : Florys forth his swerd [read: swere] putte, And Blauncheflour..him tytte.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15303 : His fote ful tite he til him tite [Göt: titt].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15837 : His disciplis þat wer feird at fle bigan to fund, And als þai fra þe herth him tite, His bodi was al stund.
- c1400 Wit & W.(Cmb Res.b.162)b/33 : Faxi feled him feste and froward him titte, Bowed him bakward with his best auel.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7216 : Þe hevedes of synfulle salle be turned doune, And þe fete upward fast knytted And in strang payns be streyned and tytted.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)22227 : Bi þe midel he titte arthur on knes.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1801 : So many biernez the bolde broughte owt of lyfe, Tittez tirauntez doun, and temez..theire sadills.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)332/350 : Þai [Christ's garments] ere tytt of tite, lo! take þer his trasshes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)853 : Þen tittis he doune in þat tene þe tablis ilkane.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5454 : Gripis gripis of oure gomes..Tuk þam in þaire talons & titt fra þaire blonkis.
- a1475 Herkyn to my tale (Brog 2.1)p.85 : The skat stalkyde one hylle, and tyte of here skynne.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2193 : Þen tenyd þe tebe folke, & tit to þe ȝatez, And withstode his strenth, & strode to þe walles.
b
- c1330 Þe siker soþe (Auch)54 : Þer nis no letting at lite Þat he [Death] no tittes til him tite.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.54 : When me profereth þe pigge, opon þe pogh, For when he is an olde swyn, thow tyte hym nowȝht.
c
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)151/381 : Þe gude wife apon a day he mett; Hir almus-dede for he wald lett, He said þe mes was done..On swilk maner he tyd hir thwise.