Now only north. dial. Also 3 titer, 4 tyttar, 4–5 -er, 7–8 tider. [Comparative of TITE adv., with shortened vowel; cf. rather, latter, elder, utter. Cf. ODa. tidre more quickly, sooner, compar. of tit (Kalkar IV. 338).]
More quickly; sooner, earlier.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22481 (Edin.). Titer sal tai rin on grund Þan firslauht dos quen it es stund.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 231. He [Jonah] watz no tytter out-tulde þat tempest ne sessed.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., viii. 293. Go, say to hym we wyll not grefe, Bot thay shall neuer the tytter gang.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, s.v. Astite, Tide in the North signifies soon, and tider or titter sooner. ‘The tider … you come, the tider you’ll go.’
1684. G. Meriton, Yorks. Dial., 287 (E.D.S.). He had come titter … if he had knawn.
1874. Waugh, Chimney Corner (1879), 8. It brings ’em down, titter or latter,—as how strung they are.
b. More readily, more willingly, sooner, rather.
13[?]. Cursor M., 28120 (Cott.). And titter wald i lesyng make Þan man my worde vn-treu to take.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 518. Þai chesyt tyttar with þaim to ta Angyr and payn, na be þaim fra.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 428. He grauntyd vnto þaim … at he wulde furste tytter take þe charge of þe empyre rather þan þe wurschup þeroff.
1724. in Ramsay’s Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 63. I had titter die than live wi’ him a year.
1807. R. Anderson, Cumberld. Ball., Aul Hollow Tree, v. Far titter than wear them, She’d burn them or tear them.
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., s.v., ‘I would titter go than stay.’
c. ellipt. The titter up, the one that is up sooner or first of two. north. dial.
1787. Grose, Provinc. Gloss., s.v., Tider up caw, let him that is up first call the others.
1790. Mrs. Wheeler, Westmld. Dial. (1821), 112. We set dawn that titter up sud coe tudder up neisht mornin.
1876. Whitby Gloss., s.v., ‘T’ titter up t’ sprunt mun ower [= hover] a bit’: the first up the hill must wait awhile.
