Definition of tittup
: lively, gay, or restless behavior
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tittup was our Word of the Day on 10/01/2010. Hear the podcast!
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Origin and Etymology of tittup
imitative of the sound of a horse's hooves
Definition of tittup
tittupped
or tittuped;
tittupping
or tittuping
: to move in a lively manner often with an exaggerated or affected action
Did You Know?
Tittup has been used as noun naming an imitation of the sound of horses' hooves moving at a pace between a canter and a gallop since as early as 1703. The rhythmic sound and bounce of such movement was infectious enough to lead people to apply the word to other bouncy gaits, and to lively or restless behavior in general. Tittup was first used as a verb in 1785. In 1862, William Makepeace Thackeray recalled the word's equine origins when he wrote of a magnificent horse dancing, and tittupping. The word is not common today, but it does see occasional use, especially in British sources.
First Known Use of tittup
1785
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