Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A state of nervous excitement or confusion; a dither.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A sixpence.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A state of nervous excitement, confusion, or distress; a dither.
  • noun UK, slang, archaic A sixpence; a tester.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an excited state of agitation

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Origin unknown.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Unknown. American, 1935. Possibly related to tizzy “sixpence coin”, slang for tester, a name for the coin.

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Examples

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  • "At the Ship he gave her a shilling, and her face dropped. 'That's a shilling,' he said. 'Han't you ever seen a shilling?' She shook her head. 'It's twelve pennies,' he said, looking at his change. 'You know what a tizzy is, I dare say?'

    "'Oh yes. Everybody knows what a tizzy is,' said Margaret rather scornfully.

    "'Well, here are two of 'em. Because twice six is twelve, do you see.'"

    --Patrick O'Brian, The Reverse of the Medal, 120

    February 24, 2008