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. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen. (1693), 1226. A Tib, mulier sordida.
1689. Descr. Summer, in Poor Robin, C v. When Tib and Tom upon a Holyday, 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 with out 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. Mar. 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. Ibid. (1794), 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., Sth 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.
1903. 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.
