tiddlywink

Note: This entry was previously tiddlywinks.

tiddlywink n, usu pl Also tiddledewinks, tiddledywinks MA

= tickly-bender n.

1962 Morison One Boy’s Boston 35 ceMA (as of 1890s), During school recesses, when the ice began to break up, we enjoyed the sport of “tiddledewinks,” or “running tiddely,” . . crossing the pond by running over floating ice cakes and jumping from one to another. . . [T]he Public Garden rang with cries of “Hey, tiddely!” as the boys dared each other. 1967 DARE (Qu. B35, Ice that will bend when you step on it, but not break) Inf MA27, Tiddlywinks—we called it that when we were kids. 2001 (2002) Frump Until the Sea 177 eMA (as of 1983), You could run across some of the hatch covers, and they would bounce . . up and down like playing tiddledywinks on the ice of a pond.