on the tiles
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Out all night "on the spree," or carousing,—in allusion to the London cats on their amatory excursions. See CATERWAULING.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “on the tiles” mean?
Out all night "on the spree," or carousing,—in allusion to the London cats on their amatory excursions. See CATERWAULING.
Is “on the tiles” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.