different between clash vs tiff

English

Etymology

Onomatopoeic origin. Compare German klatschen (“to clap, smack, slap”) and Klatsch (“a clapping sound; the din resulting from two or more things colliding”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kla?/, /klæ?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /klæ?/
• Rhymes: -æ?

Noun

clash (countable and uncountable, plural clashes)

1. (onomatopoeia) A loud sound, like the crashing together of metal objects.

   I heard a clash from the kitchen, and rushed in to find the cat had knocked over some pots and pans.

2. (military) A skirmish, a hostile encounter.
3. (sports) a match; a game between two sides.
4. An angry argument
5. Opposition; contradiction; such as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes etc.

   a clash of beliefs

   a personality clash

6. A combination of garments that do not look good together, especially because of conflicting colours.

   She was wearing a horrible clash of red and orange.

7. (hurling) An instance of restarting the game after a "dead ball", where it is dropped between two opposing players, who can fight for possession.
8. (Scotland) Chatter; gossip; idle talk.

Translations

Verb

clash (third-person singular simple present clashes, present participle clashing, simple past and past participle clashed)

1. (intransitive) To make a clashing sound.

   The cymbals clashed.

2. (transitive) To cause to make a clashing sound.
3. To come into violent conflict.

   Fans from opposing teams clashed on the streets after the game.

4. (intransitive) To argue angrily.

   My parents often clashed about minor things, such as the cleaning or shopping rota.

5. (intransitive, in games or sports) To face each other in an important game.
6. (intransitive, of clothes, decor, colours) To fail to look good together; to contrast unattractively; to fail to harmonize.

   You can't wear that shirt! It clashes with your trousers.

   The hotel room was ugly, and the wallpaper clashed with the carpet.

7. (intransitive, of events) To coincide, to happen at the same time, thereby rendering it impossible to attend all.

   I can't come to your wedding because it clashes with a friend's funeral.

   I wanted to take German, but it clashed with art on the timetable.

8. (intransitive, Scotland) To chatter or gossip.

Translations

Related terms

• clashy
• electroclash
• soundclash

Anagrams

• chals

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t?f/
• Rhymes: -?f

Etymology 1

Originally, a sniff, sniffing; compare Icelandic word for a smell.

Noun

tiff (plural tiffs)

1. A small argument; a petty quarrel.
2. Liquor; especially, a small draught of liquor.

Translations

Verb

tiff (third-person singular simple present tiffs, present participle tiffing, simple past and past participle tiffed)

1. (intransitive) To quarrel.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:squabble

   • 1846, Walter Savage Landor, untitled

     She tiff'd at Tim, she ran from Ralph.

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English tiffen, Old French tiffer, tifer ("to bedizen"; > Modern French attifer), from Frankish *tipf?n, *tipp?n (“to decorate”), perhaps related to Proto-Germanic *tuppaz (“top, tip”). Compare Dutch tippen (“to clip the points or ends of the hair”), Old Norse tippa (“point, tip”), English tip (noun), Middle High German zipfen (“to prance; skip; sashay; bob; flutter; frisk”).

Verb

tiff (third-person singular simple present tiffs, present participle tiffing, simple past and past participle tiffed)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To deck out; to dress.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of A. Tucker to this entry?)

Etymology 3

Verb

tiff (third-person singular simple present tiffs, present participle tiffing, simple past and past participle tiffed)

1. (British India, intransitive) To have lunch.
   • 1841, The Asiatic journal and monthly register

     Besides that one to which the permanent residence was attached, Mr. Augustus had several outlaying factories, which he visited from time to time, to superintend the manufacture of his indigo; at all of these he had little bungalows, or temporary abodes, where we tiffed and passed the heat of the day.

Related terms

• tiffin

Anagrams

• fift