Chapter a Well to Tunkers of T by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

birds already cooked, green garments, and even horses ready saddled and bridled. From the root of this tree spring the rivers of Paradise, flowing with milk and honey, wine and water, and from the banks of which may be picked up inestimable gems.

Tuck A long narrow sword. (Gaelic, tuca ,] Welsh twca, Italian stocco, German stock, French estoc.) In Hamlet the word is erroneously printed “stuck,” in Malone's edition.

“If he by chance escape your venomous tue
Our purpose may hold there.” Act iv. 9

   A good tuck in or tuck out. A good feed. To tuck is to full, a tucker is a fuller. Hence, to cram. The fold of a dress to allow for growth is called a tuck, and a little frill on the top thereof is called a tucker. (Anglo-Saxon, tuc-ian.
   I'll tuck him up. Stab him, do for him. Tuck is a small dirk used by artillerymen. (See above.

Tucker Food. “A tuck in,” a cram of food. (See above.)

“ `No,' said Palliser, `we've no food.' `By Jove!' said the other, `Ill search creation for tucker to-night. Give me your gun.' ”- Watson: The Web of the Spider, chap. xii.

Tuffet (A). A small tuft or clump. Strange that this word, so universally known, has never been introduced into our dictionaries, to the best of my knowledge.

“Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey ...”
Nursery Rhymes.

Tuft A nobleman or fellow commoner. So called at Oxford because he wears a gold tuft or tassel on his college cap.

Tuft-hunter A nobleman's toady; one who tries to curry favour with the wealthy and great for the sake of feeding on the crumbs which fall from the rich man's table. A University term. (See above.)

Tug A name by which collegers are known at Eton. Either from tog (the gown worn in distinction to Oppidans), or from “tough mutton. ”

“A name in college handed down
From mutton tough or ancient gown.”
The World, February 17, 1893 (p. 31).

Tug of War (The), a rural sport, in which a number of men or boys, divided into two bands, lay hold of a strong rope and pull against each other till one side has tugged the other over the dividing line.

Tuileries (Paris) [tile-kilns ]. The palace was on the site of some old tile-kilns. (See Sablonnière .)

Tulcan Bishops Certain Scotch bishops appointed by James I., with the distinct understanding that they were to hand over a fixed portion of the revenue to the patron. A tulcan is a stuffed calfskin, placed under a cow that withholds her milk. The cow, thinking the “tulcan” to be her calf, readily yields her milk to the milk-pail.

Tulip The turban plant; Persian, thoulyb (thoulyban, a turban), by which name the flower is called in Persia.
   My tulip. A term of endearment to animals, as “Gee up, my tulip!” or “Kim up, my tulip!” Perhaps a pun suggested by the word tool. A donkey is a costermonger's tool.

Tulip Mania A reckless mania for the purchase of tulip-bulbs in the seventeenth century. Beckmann says it rose to its greatest height in the years 1634-1637. A root of the species called Viceroy sold for 250; Semper Augustus, more than double that sum. The tulips were grown in Holland, but the mania which spread over Europe was a mere stock-jobbing speculation.

Tumbledown Dick Anything that will not stand firmly. Dick is Richard, the Protector's son, who was but a tottering wall at best.

Tun Any vessel, even a goblet or cup. (Anglo-Saxon tunne.)

“Tun, such a cup as jugglers use to show divers tricks by.”- Minshou: Spanish Dictionary.

Tunding A thrashing with ashen sticks given to a school-fellow by one of the monitors or “praefects” of Winchester school, for breach of discipline. (Latin tundo, to beat or bruise.)