subs. (colloquial).—1. An old maid; hence (2) a spiteful tattler: cf. CAT (GROSE). TABBY-PARTY = a gathering of women.
1761. COLMAN, The Jealous Wife, ii. 3. I am not sorry for the coming in of these old TABBIES, and am much obliged to her ladyship for leaving us to such an agreeable tête-à-tête.
1774. BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 246.
| This made th’ old TABBIES swear they’d never | |
| Fall out, but live good friends for ever. |
d. 1855. ROGERS [TREVELYAN, Macaulay, i. 241]. When he can get into a circle of old TABBIES, he is just in his element.
