E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Kettle (A),
a watch. A tin kittle is a silver watch. A red kittle is a gold watch. “Kettle,” or rather kittle, in slang language is a corrupt rendering of the words to-tick read backwards. (Compare Anglo-Saxon cetel, a kettle, with citel-ian, to tickle.)
1
Thor’s great kettle. The god Thor wanted to brew some beer, but not having a vessel suited for the purpose in Valhalla, stole the kettle of the giant Hymer. (Scandinavian mythology.)
