titivil

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Titivillus, a demon said to introduce errors into the work of scribes. Used in medieval mystery plays, from which it entered common usage.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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titivil (plural titivils)

  1. (obsolete) A mischievous gossip or a troublemaker.
    • 1546, John Heywood, The Proverbs of John Heywood[1], London: George Bell and Sons, published 1874, page 40:
      There is no moe such titifyls in Englandes ground, / To hold with the hare and run with the hound.
    • 1548, Edward Hall, “The Trobleous Season of Kyng Henry the Sixt”, in Hall's Chronicle[2], London: J. Johnson, et al., published 1809, page 173:
      For the deuill hymself, to set farther diuision betwene the Englishe and Frenche nacion did apparell certain catchepoules, and Parasites, cōmonly called titiuils and tale tellers, to sowe discord and dissencion, betwene the dukes of Bedford and Burgoyne []

Synonyms

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References

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