tough titty said the kitty
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Chosen for the rhyme. The image is of a kitten suckling at the mother cat's teat, hence the references to milk in the extended variants. First use appears c. 1974. See cite below.
Interjection
[edit]- (humorous) Synonym of tough titty (“hard luck; too bad”)
- 1974, Journal of Canadian Fiction, Volume 3, page 39:
- Marv's conversation usually dealt in wise cliches like "Tough titty said the kitty, but the milk's already sour.
Usage notes
[edit]- Sometimes further elaborated into various phrases involving milk: "tough titty said the kitty..."
- but the milk sure tastes good
- but the milk's still good
- but the milk's damn good
- but the milk tastes fine
- but the milk's already sour
- when the milk went dry
- when the milk wouldn't run; etc.
- that spilled the milk
- cause the milk tasted shitty