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# tit

noun (a tit, tits)

«tit» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A tit is a small, lively bird, such as the blue tit or great tit, common in gardens in the UK and Europe. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#m1)
2. (rude, slang) Tit is also a rude word for a part of the body; not for school. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#m2)
3. (UK, slang, mild insult) A tit is a silly or annoying person: «Don't be a tit.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#m3)
4. «Tit for tat» means doing something bad back to someone because they did it to you. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#m4)

### In the lessons

In science lessons in the UK, blue tits and great tits appear in bird watches, nest-box projects and food chains (they eat caterpillars and seeds). In playground talk in Britain, «you tit» is a mild insult, and the rude meaning of the word is not polite; teachers may tell children off for it. «Tit for tat» is a common phrase in stories about fights and arguments. Phrases: «blue tit», «great tit», «long-tailed tit», «tit for tat», «feel a right tit» (UK, slang: feel stupid).

### Examples

- A blue tit is feeding at the bird table. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#x1)
- Great tits nested in our school's nest box. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#x2)
- Long-tailed tits fly around in little flocks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#x3)
- They kept taking each other's pens — tit for tat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#x4)
- (UK, slang) "Don't be a tit, give it back!" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#x5)
- (UK, slang) I felt a right tit when I fell off the stage. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#x6)
- Blue tits eat lots of caterpillars in spring. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/#x7)

### Note

The bird meaning is perfectly polite. The body meaning (rude) and the insult (UK slang) are not used in class; in a story they show rough talk. American English calls similar birds «chickadees» and «titmice». Plural of the bird: «tits»; the word «titmouse» has the plural «titmice».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tit» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tit/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tit» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tit.html) on Mova free.