Name for several small fishes. In U.S.: a. The frost-fish (FROST sb. 7 c); also, loosely, one of various small fishes confused with this. b. In California, the Jack-fish (Sebastodes paucispinis), a rock-fish. c. = KING-FISH d. In Great Britain: d. A young codfish.
1795. J. Sullivan, Hist. Maine, 21. The people have tom cod, or what they call frost fish, smelts, and also alewives in great plenty.
1838. Haliburton, Clockm., Ser. II. v. 65. [They] used to … catch herrin’ and tom cods, and such sort o’ fish.
1854. Lowell, Leaves fr. Jrnl., Wks. 1890, I. 108. An old fisherman, browner than a tomcod.
1883. Fisheries Exhib. Catal. (ed. 4), 174. Tom Cods, the young of Cod Fish.
1888. Goode, Amer. Fishes, 123. The King-Fish,… also known as the ‘Tom-cod’ on the coast of Connecticut.
