Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a hat.

1904		Sun. Times (Perth) 26 June 4/8: I am ‘long-nit’ on these jossers with the black ’ard ’ats / I’ve sighted them on ledgers and upon the tit-for-tats.
1924		Mail (Adelaide) 16 Feb. 1/4: Where’s me tit for tat?
1925		(con. WWI) Fraser & Gibbons Soldier and Sailor Words 285: Tit For Tat: Hat.
1928		M.C. Sharpe Chicago May: Her Story in Hamilton (1952) 132: Tit for tat – cap.
1938		F.D. Sharpe Sharpe of the Flying Squad 330: Hat. (Also known as a Titfer, or Tit for Tat).
1944		Ellesmere Guardian (Canterbury) 8 Feb. 2/2: You should look after your tit-for-tat.
a.1945		L. Payne private coll. n.p.: Hat Tit ‘fer’ Tat.
1960		J. Franklyn Dict. of Rhy. Sl.
1967		‘Whisper All Aussie Dict.’ in Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) xli 4/4: tit for tat: Hat.
1977		D. Powis Signs of Crime 204: Tit for (tat) Hat. Pronounced ‘titfer.’.
1980		Barltrop & Wolveridge Muvver Tongue 19: Hat : a titfer, or tit-for-tat.
2002		Pete’s Aussie Sl. Home Page 🌐 tit for tat, titfer (1): a hat.

2. (Aus.) a rat, i.e. a non-trade unionist.

2002

Pete’s Aussie Sl. Home Page 🌐 tit for tat (2): a rat, non-unionist.