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T . “to suit to a T,” to fit to a nicety.—_Old._ Perhaps from the T-square of carpenters, by which the accuracy of work is tested.
Tabby party . a party consisting entirely of women, a tea and tattle gathering. In America, a gathering of men only is called a “stag party.”
Tabooed . forbidden. This word, now very common, is derived from a custom of the South-Sea islanders, first noticed in _Cook’s Voyages_.
Tack . a taste foreign to what was intended; a barrel may get a TACK upon it, either permanently mouldy, sour, or otherwise.
Tacked . tied down. When a man has another vanquished, or for certain reasons bound to his service, he is said to have “got him TACKED.”
Tackle . clothes.—_Sea._ Also to encounter a person in argument.
Taffy (corruption of David), a Welshman. Compare Sawney (from . Alexander), a Scotchman; Paddy (from Patrick), an Irishman; and Johnny (from John Bull), an Englishman.
Tag-rag-and-bobtail . a mixed crowd of low people, the lower orders generally.
Tail-block . a watch.—_Sea._
Tail-buzzer . a thief who picks coat-pockets.
Tail-down . “to get the TAIL DOWN,” generally means to lose courage. When a professional at any game loses heart in a match he is said to get his TAIL DOWN. “His TAIL was quite DOWN, and it was all over.” The origin is obvious.
Take . to succeed, or be patronized. “Do you think the new opera will TAKE?” “No, because the same company TOOK so badly under the old management.” “To TAKE on,” to grieve; Shakspeare uses the word TAKING in this sense. To “TAKE up for any one,” to protect or defend a person; “to TAKE off,” to mimic; “to TAKE heart,” to have courage; “to TAKE down a peg or two,” to humiliate, or tame; “to TAKE up,” to reprove; “to TAKE after,” to resemble; “to TAKE in,” to cheat or defraud, probably from the lower class lodging-house-keepers’ advertisements, “Single men TAKEN in and done for,”—an engagement which is as frequently performed in a bad as a good sense; in reference to this performance, Scripture is often quoted: “I was a stranger and ye TOOK me in.” “To TAKE the field,” when said of a general, to commence operations against the enemy. When a racing man TAKES the field he stakes his money against the favourite, that is, he takes the chances of the field against the chance of one horse.
Take beef . to run away.
Take in . a cheating or swindling transaction,—sometimes termed “a dead TAKE IN.” Shakspeare has TAKE IN in the sense of conquering. To be “had,” or to be “spoken to,” were formerly synonymous phrases with to be TAKEN IN.
Take it out . to obtain value for money, labour, &c. A rich man is said to “TAKE IT (_i.e._, his money) OUT in fine footmen, fine feeding,” &c. A poor man “TAKES IT (_i.e._, his trouble) OUT in drink.”
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