TANTWIVY. Away they went tantwivy; away they went full speed. Tantwivy was the sound of the hunting horn in full cry, or that of a post horn. TAP. A gentle blow. A tap on the shoulder;-an-arrest. To tap a girl; to be the first seducer: in allusion to a beer barrel. To tap a guinea; to get it changed. TAPPERS. Shoulder tappers: bailiffs. TAPE. Red tape; brandy. Blue or white tape; gin. TAPLASH. Thick and bad beer. TAR. Don't lose a sheep for a halfpennyworth of tar: tar is used to mark sheep. A jack tar; a sailor. TARADIDDLE. A fib, or falsity. TARPAWLIN. A coarse cloth tarred over: also, figuratively, a sailor. TARRING AND FEATHERING. A punishment lately inflicted by the good people of Boston on any person convicted, or suspected, of loyalty: such delinquents being "stripped naked", were daubed all over wilh tar, and afterwards put into a hogshead of feathers. TART. Sour, sharp, quick, pert. TARTAR. To catch a Tartar; to attack one of superior strength or abilities. This saying originated from a story of an Irish-soldier in the Imperial service, who, in a battle against the Turks, called out to his comrade that he had caught a Tartar. 'Bring him along then,' said he. 'He won't come,' answered Paddy. 'Then come along yourself,' replied his comrade. 'Arrah,' cried he, 'but he won't let me.'--A Tartar is also an adept at any feat, or game: he is quite a Tartar at cricket, or billiards. TAT. Tit for tat; an equivalent. TATS. False dice. TATLER. A watch. To flash a tatler: to wear a watch. TAT MONGER. One that uses false dice. TATTERDEMALION. A ragged fellow, whose clothes hang all in tatters. TATTOO. A beat of the drum, of signal for soldiers to go to their quarters, and a direction to the sutlers to close the tap, and draw no more liquor for them; it is generally beat at nine in summer and eight in winter. The devil's tattoo; beating with one's foot against the ground, as done by persons in low spirits. TAW. A schoolboy's game, played with small round balls made of stone dust, catted marbles. I'll be one upon your taw presently; a species of threat. TAWDRY. Garish, gawdy, with lace or staring and discordant colours: a term said to be derived from the shrine and altar of St. Audrey (an Isle of Ely saintess), which for finery exceeded all others thereabouts, so as to become proverbial; whence any fine dressed man or woman said to be all St Audrey, and by contraction, all tawdry. TAWED. Beaten, TAYLE. See TAIL. TAYLE DRAWERS. Thieves who snatch gentlemens swords from their sides. He drew the cull's tayle rumly; he snatched away the gentleman's sword cleverly.