Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1714, 1773-1928
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TIFT, n.1, v.1 Also tiff (Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1874) I. 59). [tɪft]
I. n. 1. Order, state, condition (Sc. 1808 Jam.); humour, mood, fettle, frame of mind (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ayr., Wgt., Rxb. 1972). Also in n.Eng. dial. Phr. in tift, ¶a-tift, in(to) good or proper condition (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 693; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 449). Adj. tifty, tiffy, in sound condition, full of health and mettle.Sc. 1714 R. Wodrow Corresp. (1842) I. 561:
The shire of Ayr is in very good tift, and they want not necessaries in case of a visit from their neighbours over the water.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 128:
And tho' their stamack's aft in tift In vacance time.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 156:
'Twas sun and moon that cheer'd the lift, First rous'd his sordid mind a-tift.Ags. 1867 G. W. Donald Poems 62:
When Jamie was fettle, an' tiffy an' trim.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 17:
Sae, jist to gie their hearts a lift, An' haud their loupin' nerves in tift.Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Kirkiebrae xxxi.:
Man, he's in gran' tiff.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 17:
Grit-hertit Tam! you tiftie bairn.
2. A spell of activity of some kind, a passage of time marked by length and tedium.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
A lang tift, a long discourse.
II. v. To adjust, set to rights, put in good order or spirits (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.); also with aff or up. Vbl.n. tiftan, a putting in order, arraying (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 193).Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 23:
The fidler tifted ilka string.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 18:
Ye hae nae ither paul, That lifts ye, and tifts ye.
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"Tift n.1, v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 8 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/tift_n1_v1>
