a. Obs. rare. Also 5 tithy, thethy. Of uncertain origin and meaning.
The sense of TEETHY a.1 seems unsuitable. Can it be a corruption, or rather a series of errors, for TIDY a., which occurs in this poem (and elsewhere) as an epithet of approval or praise, = good, excellent, worthy, apt, brave, doughty? But such an alteration of vowel and consonant in tidy is unknown elsewhere, and is phonetically unwarranted.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2198. Ȝe of Tebet ere tried, þe tethiest [D. thethiest) on erth. Ibid., 2784. Of our wale princes Twa of þe tethiest [D. tithiest) ere tint, & termynd of lyue.
(Cf. Ibid., 2367. Ware noȝt þe tulkis out of Tire þe tidiest [D. triest] on erth. Ibid., 2371. Was noȝt þe Thebes þar-to þe th[rley*est [? the þeest; D. tithiest] of othire.)
