tiddlywink
tid·dly·wink/ˈtɪdliˌwɪŋk/obsolete
tiddlywink is spelled T-I-D-D-L-Y-W-I-N-K: 10 letters and 3 syllables (tid·dly·wink). As a noun, tiddlywink means “An unlicensed beerhouse or pawnshop” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of tiddlywink is tiddlywinks.
How many letters and syllables are in tiddlywink?
| Letters | 10: T-I-D-D-L-Y-W-I-N-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: tid·dly·wink |
| In writing | too rare for the frequency list |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce tiddlywink?
- UK /ˈtɪdəlɪwɪŋk/
- UK /ˈtɪdlɪ-/
- US /ˈtɪdliˌwɪŋk/
Tiddlywink has 3 syllables, split tid·dly·wink in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Forms of tiddlywink
- tiddlywinks present, singular, he/she/it
- tiddlywinking participle, present
- tiddlywinked participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does tiddlywink mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
UKarchaicobsoleteslangAn unlicensed beerhouse or pawnshop.
- 2
UKarchaicobsoleteslangAn alcoholic drink.
- 3
UKarchaicobsoleteA game played using dominoes.
- 4
UKarchaicobsoleteA small disc used in the game of tiddlywinks; (by extension) a similar disc or counter used in other games.
verb
- 1
UKarchaicobsoleteEspecially of something disc-shaped: to flip over like a disc used in the game of tiddlywinks.
- 2
UKarchaicobsoleteTo play tiddlywinks.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Where does tiddlywink come from?
Sense 1 (“unlicensed beerhouse or pawnshop”) and sense 2 (“alcoholic drink”) are possibly related to tiddly (“(noun) alcoholic beverage; (adjective) somewhat drunk”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).