# Re: What's the origin of "tit for tat"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-whats-the-origin-of-tit-for-tat/101>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [June 19, 1999, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-whats-the-origin-of-tit-for-tat/101 "1999-06-19T21:50:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 1999, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-whats-the-origin-of-tit-for-tat/101/1 "1999-06-19T21:50:00Z")

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I trust you completely, Cecil, but I was always under the impression it was from “this for that”. I’m changing my opinion now.  
Anyway, that not why I wrote - the main reason I wrote was because the aforemention of “boobs” in your answer brought back to my mind a limerick I used to know a long long time ago:

There was a lady really fat,  
Who had 3 sons - Nat, Pat and Tat.  
She enjoyed the breeding - The problem was in feeding,  
'Cos she realised there was no tit for Tat.

* * *

Never bite the hand that… looks dirty!