The origin of the noun is unknown; it is possibly originally dialectal and may be onomatopoeic, representing the sound of a small puff of air or gas. The verb is derived from the noun.
Meanings
(informal) A (generally small) argument or disagreement; a petty quarrel, a spat.
There's Tom, now, since this tiff with Mrs. Cat, the scoundrel plays the Grand Turk here! 1839 May – 1840 February, Ikey Solomons, Jun. [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “Catherine: A Story. Chapter the Last.”, in Catherine: A Story. Little Travels. The Fitz-Boodle Papers. etc. etc. (Works of William Makepeace Thackeray in Twenty-four Volumes; 22), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1869, →OCLC, page 157:
I had lived with her all this time, unaware how much she hated these things. In themselves they were trivial. Stupid. Something to laugh off, not make a big issue out of. We'd had a little tiff and would have forgotten about it in a couple of days. 1997, Haruki Murakami, “Full Moon and Eclipse of the Sun: On Horses Dying in the Stables”, in Jay Rubin, transl., The Wind-up Bird Chronicle […], London: Harvill Secker, published 2010, →ISBN, page 30:
These were the days before Elon Musk's tiff with a Delaware judge raised the prospect of the federalization of corporate law. 2024 December 10, Ronald Mann, “Case Preview: Federal Trademark Law and Doctrines of Corporate Identity”, in SCOTUSblog, archived from the original on 19 Jun 2025:
[T]he blithe young couple were a pleasant sight to see, as they twirled merrily round and round, feeling more friendly than ever after their small tiff. 1868, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, “Meg goes to Vanity Fair”, in Little Women: […], 1st part, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1869, →OCLC, page 139:
Lovers' tiffs are very amusing in that new lovers expect their little universe to be 100% perfect. […] At the other extreme, couples who are married with children have heavily disguised tiffs. A man saying in a slightly strained way, 'I'm going to turn the compost', is actually saying, 'And that's all you are, Jean, compost!' Of course, what happens is eventually he apologises, they cry, make love, have another child, get overtired and the tiffing continues. 2000 September 29, Guy Browning, “How to … have a tiff”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 02 Sep 2025:
My Lord and I have had another little—Tiff, ſhall I call it? It came not up to a quarrel. Married people vvould have enough to do, if they vvere to trouble their friends every time they miſunderſtood one another. 1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XV. Lady G[randison] to Miss Byron.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, […], →OCLC, page 94:
"About a week ago we were sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children, and I held Nigella [Lawson]'s neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasise my point," he said. "There was no grip, it was a playful tiff. The pictures are horrific but give a far more drastic and violent impression of what took place.[…]" 2013 June 18, Alexandra Topping, Ben Quinn, quoting Charles Saatchi, “Charles Saatchi: accepting police caution was better than the alternative”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Mar 2024:
(archaic, informal) A brief outburst or period of bad temper; a snit; also (rare) any brief outburst (for example, of laughter).
Wilhelmina […] answered his romances and him with tiffs of laughter, in a prettily fleeting manner. 1858, Thomas Carlyle, “England Sends the Excellency Hotham to Berlin”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book VII, pages 148–149:
[A]s if / Returning homevvards in a furious Tiff; / Your Hoſt declares, he's ſorry at his Heart, / And humbly acts the penitential Part. 1739, Friderick Dedekindus [i.e., Friedrich Dedekind], chapter I, in Roger Bull [pseudonym], transl., Grobianus; or, The Compleat Booby. An Ironical Poem. […], London: […] T. Cooper, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, page 102:
fi nahina ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · it baruffa ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · bg спречкване ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · sh ра́змирица ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · cs (drobná) hádka ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · hu mosolyszünet ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · fi hepuli (brief outburst or period of bad temper) · sh rázmirica ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · hu összetűzés ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · es altercado ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · sh čȃrka ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · fi nahistelu ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · hu összezördülés ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · ru размо́лвка ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · it litigata ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · cs rozmíška ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · ru ссо́ра ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · hu perpatvar ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · ru ра́спря ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · it litigio ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · sh ча̑рка ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · cs rozepře ((generally small) argument or disagreement) · ru сты́чка ((generally small) argument or disagreement)
The origin of the noun is unknown; it is possibly originally dialectal and may be onomatopoeic, representing the sound of a small puff of air or gas. The verb is derived from the noun.
Meanings
(informal, intransitive) To be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement; to squabble.
I very much indeed approve / Of maidens moderating love / Until they've twenty pounds; / […] / Until the twenty pounds were safe, / She tiff'd at Tim, she ran from Ralph, / Squire nodded … deuce a curtsy! 1846, Walter Savage Landor, “[Miscellaneous.] [Poem] CCXLII. New Style.”, in The Works of Walter Savage Landor. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 660, column 2:
Poor Newton! he little knew to what he owed that glance. The fact is, the Captain was late, and Miss Bowers tiffed. 1859, Francis Francis, “Music, Lights, and Ladies”, in Newton Dogvane. A Story of English Country Life. […], volume I, London: Hurst and Blackett, publishers, successors to Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 129:
bg спречквам се (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · sh čȁrkati (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · hu összezördül (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · cs poškorpit se (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · hu összekap (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · hu összetűz (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · sh ча̏ркати (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · fi nahista (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble) · fi nahistella (to be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement — see also squabble)
Probably a back-formation from or clipping of tiff(in) (“(light) midday meal or snack, luncheon”).
Meanings
(British, India, informal, intransitive) Synonym of tiffin (“to eat a (light) midday meal or snack; to have lunch, to lunch”).
Go home, Jack. I will tiff with you to-day at half-past two. 1859, John Lang, “The Himalaya Club”, in Wanderings in India: And Other Sketches of Life in Hindostan, London; New York, N.Y.: Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, […], →OCLC, page 16:
Besides that one to which the permanent residence was attached, Mr. Augustus had several outlaying factories, which he visited from time to time, to superintend the manufacture of his indigo; at all of these he had little bungalows, or temporary abodes, where we tiffed and passed the heat of the day. 1841 September–December, Captain [Henry Walter?] Bellew, “Memoirs of a Griffin. Chapter XIV.”, in The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British and Foreign India, China, and Australasia, volume XXXVI (New Series), number 141, London: W[illia]m H[oughton] Allen and Co., […], →OCLC, page 71:
The origin of the noun is unknown; it may be onomatopoeic, representing the sound of liquor being sipped. The verb is derived from the noun.
Meanings
(archaic, countable, informal, obsolete, slang) A small draught or sip of liquor (especially diluted or poor quality liquor) or punch.
Come, Captain, let not your noble Courage be caſt dovvn; vvhat ſay you to a Glaſs of vvhite VVine, or a Tiff of Punch, by VVay of VVhet? 1751 December (indicated as 1752), Henry Fielding, “In which are Many Profound Secrets of Philosophy”, in Amelia, volume III, London: […] [William Strahan] for A[ndrew] Millar […], →OCLC, book VIII, pages 202–203:
"Good wife," said Skriegh, gathering up his mouth, and sipping his tiff of brandy punch with great solemnity […] 1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, in Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […], →OCLC, page 174:
(archaic, informal, obsolete, slang, uncountable) Liquor, especially diluted or poor quality liquor.
By dint of drinking acid tiff, as above mentioned, and smoking segars, in which I am no novice, my Public are to be informed, that I gradually drank and smoked myself into a certain degree of acquaintance with un homme comme il faut [a proper man], one of the few fine old specimens of nobility who are still to be found in France; […] 1823, [Walter Scott], “Introduction”, in Quentin Durward. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page xiii:
The origin of the noun is unknown; it may be onomatopoeic, representing the sound of liquor being sipped. The verb is derived from the noun.
Meanings
(archaic, informal, obsolete, slang, transitive) To drink (liquor), especially slowly or in small amounts; to sip.
Nor did the Doctor fail to go / To the bright region of the Row; / There tiff'd his punch and talk'd and smok'd, / Was sometimes grave and sometimes jok'd; […] 1821, [William Combe], “Canto XXXVII”, in The Third Tour of Doctor Syntax, in Search of a Wife, a Poem, London: R[udolph] Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, […], →OCLC, page 244:
From Middle English tiffen, tif, tiffe (“to adorn, dress up; to arrange (a hairstyle); to disguise”), from Old French tifer, tiffer (“to adorn, dress up”) (modern French attifer (“to deck out”)), from Frankish *tipfōn, *tippōn (“to decorate”), possibly related to Proto-Germanic *tuppaz (“plait of hair, tuft; summit, top”) (see the further etymology at that entry).
The noun is derived from the verb.
cognates
* Dutch tippen (“to clip the points or ends of the hair”)
* English tip (noun)
* Middle High German zipfen (“to bob; to flutter; to frisk, prance, skip; to sashay”)
* Old Norse tippa (“point, tip”)
Meanings
(archaic, informal, obsolete, rare, slang) The way in which one's body or hair is decked out or dressed.
Did you mark the beau Tiff of his VVig, vvhat a deal of Pains he took to toſs it back, vvhen the very VVeight thereof vvas like to dravv him from his Seat? 1703, “The Levellers: A Dialogue between Two Young Ladies, Concerning Matrimony, […]”, in Samuel Johnson, William Oldys, editors, The Harleian Miscellany: […], volume V, London: […] T[homas] Osborne, […], published 1745, →OCLC, page 419, column 2:
From Middle English tiffen, tif, tiffe (“to adorn, dress up; to arrange (a hairstyle); to disguise”), from Old French tifer, tiffer (“to adorn, dress up”) (modern French attifer (“to deck out”)), from Frankish *tipfōn, *tippōn (“to decorate”), possibly related to Proto-Germanic *tuppaz (“plait of hair, tuft; summit, top”) (see the further etymology at that entry).
The noun is derived from the verb.
cognates
* Dutch tippen (“to clip the points or ends of the hair”)
* English tip (noun)
* Middle High German zipfen (“to bob; to flutter; to frisk, prance, skip; to sashay”)
* Old Norse tippa (“point, tip”)
Meanings
(archaic, informal, obsolete, reflexive, slang, transitive) To deck out or dress (someone or oneself, or their body or hair).
Is the Miſs under a force vvhen ſhe culls among her trinkets vvith curious toil to tiff herſelf out in the most engaging manner, or teazes pappa for money to buy a nevv-faſhioned ſilk? 1763, Edward Search [pseudonym; Abraham Tucker], “Freewill, Foreknowledge, and Fate. A Fragment.”, in [The Light of Nature Pursued], London: […] R[obert] and James Dodsley, […], →OCLC, §. 21, page 98:
(archaic, informal, intransitive, obsolete, slang) To deck out or dress one's body or hair.
I never pin up my Hair vvith Proſe. I fancy ones Hair vvou'd not curl if it vvere pinn'd up vvith Proſe. […] Ay, poor Mincing tift and tift all the morning. 1700, [William] Congreve, The Way of the World, a Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act II, pages 26–27: