Definition of "tup"

... to tie up rams, which could not be supposed to much used to handling ... having often heard for a proverb, as mad as a tup in an halter

1790, Annals of Agriculture‎

Those familiar with drop forging are accustomed to sizing drop hammers as 1 ton or 5 ton or whatever. This measure of the size is simply the weight of the tup. The total weight of the helve of No 2 is about 6.4 tons.

1991, Dr J. McQuaid, “The 'Size' of the No.2 Hammer”, in The Cutting Edge

Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.

c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i]

Tupping is the term used for when the rams cover the ewes. For our flock, this takes place in November when the ewes naturally come into season.

The Langley Chase Flock - explanation of tupping

I love her well enough to tup her, I suppose. A dangerous bit of business, that. She is as fertile as a bloody alluvial plain.

2001, Simon Hawke, A Mystery of Errors‎

I was the one who convinced her you would not tup her, and that if you did you would never lie with her against her will.

2003, Pierre Delattre, Woman on the Cross‎