Tiff

/tɪf/ · noun

Meaning

A (generally small) argument or disagreement; a petty quarrel, a spat..

Definitions by Sense

1. A (generally small) argument or disagreement; a petty quarrel, a spat.
2. (archaic) A brief outburst or period of bad temper; a snit; also (rare) any brief outburst (for example, of laughter).
3. (intransitive, informal) To be involved in a (generally small) argument or disagreement; to squabble.
4. (computer graphics file format) Alternative letter-case form of TIFF (acronym of tagged image file format).
5. (intransitive, British India) Synonym of tiffin (“to eat a (light) midday meal or snack; to have lunch, to lunch”).
6. (countable) A small draught or sip of liquor (especially diluted or poor quality liquor) or punch.
7. (uncountable) Liquor, especially diluted or poor quality liquor.
8. (transitive, informal or slang, archaic or obsolete) To drink (liquor), especially slowly or in small amounts; to sip.

Example Sentences

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.

There's Tom, now, since this tiff with Mrs. Cat, the scoundrel plays the Grand Turk here!

[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.

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.

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.

"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.[…]"

These were the days before Elon Musk's tiff with a Delaware judge raised the prospect of the federalization of corporate law.

[A]s if / Returning homevvards in a furious Tiff; / Your Hoſt declares, he's ſorry at his Heart, / And humbly acts the penitential Part.

Synonyms for tiff

Antonyms for tiff

Related Words

Word Forms

• tiffs
• tiffing
• tiffed

Usage Notes

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