| 释义 |
† ˈtidife, -ive Obs. rare.
Also 4 tydif(e, tydyf, tideue, ti-, tydyue.
[Origin and sense obscure: cf. also tydie, and tidive = tidy a.]
Name of some small bird. (Swainson, after Skinner, suggests the Blue titmouse.)
c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 154 And thoo [birds] that hadde doon vnkyndenesse As dooth the tydif [v.rr. tydyf, tydife] for new fangelness Besoghte mercy..And sworen on the blosmes to be trewe. c1386― Sqr.'s T. 640 Alle thise false fowles As beth thise tidyues [v.rr. tydyues, tydifs, tideues] tercelettes and Owles. 1671Skinner Etymolog., Voc. Antiq., Tidefes..avis genus, nescio an illa avis quam nos Titmouse vocamus. |