Tom

sb. Forms: 4–6 tomme, (5 thomme, 6 thom), 6– Tom.

  1.  With capital T: A familiar shortening of the Christian name Thomas; often a generic name for any male representative of the common people; esp. in Tom and Tib (cf. Jack and Jill); Tom, Dick, and Harry, any men taken at random from the common run; Blind Tom, blind-man’s-buff.

1377–.  [see 7 c].

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 924. Dicke the Shepheard blowes his naile; And Tom beares Logges into the hall. Ibid. (1596), 1 Hen. IV., II. iv. 9. I am sworn brother to a leash of Drawers, and can call them by their names, as Tom, Dicke, and Francis.

1606.  Choice, Chance, etc. (1881), 72. When Tom and Tib, were in their true delight, And he lou’d her, and she held him full deere.

1749.  Fielding (title), Tom Jones.

1783.  Hartford Courant, 20 Sept., 2/2. If an act of a representative is not the act of his constituents, it is nothing; it is only the act of an individual—of Tom, Dick, or Harry.

1790.  Dibdin, Song, Poor Tom, i. Here, a sheer hulk, lies poor Tom Bowling.

1815.  Farmer’s Almanack (Boston, Mass.), in Kittredge, Old Farmer (1904), 88. So he hired Tom, Dick and Harry, and at it they all went—half cut their grass and half made their hay, and to be sure got done about the time that others began.

1818.  in J. Adams’ Wks. (1856), X. 351. Tom, Dick, and Harry were not to censure them and their Council.

1857.  Hughes (title), Tom Brown’s School-days.

1865.  Alex. Smith, Summer in Skre, I. 46. Thereafter Tom, Jack and Harry; for every cab, carriage and omnibus … is now allowed to fall in.

1891.  Tom, Dick, and Harry [see DICK sb.¹ 1].

1909.  Healey, Sp. in Ho. of Comm., 3 Sept. He never could understand this system of playing Blind Tom with the House of Commons—especially in a taxing statute.

  † b.  = Tom o’ Bedlam: see 7 c. Obs.

1561.  Awdelay, Frat. Vacab., 3. An Abraham man is he that … fayneth hym selfe mad … and nameth himselfe poore Tom.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, III. iv. 51. Who giues any thing to poore Tom? Ibid., 59. Blisse thy fiue Wits, Toms a cold…, Do poore Tom some charitie, whom the foule Fiend vexes.

1682–3.  Dixon, Canidia, I. II. 6.

  c.  A clown; cf. TOM-FOOL b.

1820.  Sporting Mag., VI. 284. Two or three of the company called toms or clowns.

  † 2.  The knave of trumps in the game of gleek.

1655, a. 1659.  [see TIB sb. 2].

1680.  Cotton, Compl. Gamester, vi. 65. The Ace [of trumps] is called Tib, the Knave Tom.

  3.  As the name of some exceptionally large bells, esp. in great, mighty Tom, Tom of Lincoln, Tom of Christ Church, of Oxford, Tom of Exeter, etc.

1630.  White, in Rimbault, Rounds, Catches, etc., 30 (Farmer). Great Tom is cast; And Christ Church bells ring … And Tom is last.

1635.  R. Johnson, Tom a Lincolne, ii. (1682), B iij. He sent … a thousand pounds … to be bestowed upon a great Bell to be rung at his Funeral, which Bell he caused to be called Tom a Lincoln, after his own Name.

1682.  H. Aldrich, Upon Christ Church Bells Oxf. The Devil a man Will leave his can, Till he hears the mighty Tom.

1685.  Wood, Life, 7 July (O.H.S.), III. 151. And another [bonfire] in Ch. Ch. great quadrangle, at which time Great Tom rang out.

1705.  Hickeringill, Priest-cr., I. (1721), 63. Whose Tongue was as clamorous and loud almost as Tom a Lincoln.

1787.  [see TINKLER 2].

1839.  Penny Cycl., XIV. 8/2. The old bell, called the Tom of Lincoln … being exceeded only by ‘Mighty Tom’ of Oxford … and ‘Great Tom’ of Exeter.

1885.  Ruskin, Præterita, I. xi. 369. I … amused myself till Tom rang in.

  4.  a. (usually long tom.) A long trough formerly used in gold-washing: see quot. 1859. Sometimes applied to the rocker or ‘cradle.’

1855.  [see LONG TOM 2].

1859.  Cornwallis, Panorama New World, I. 135. The Long Tom … consists of a trough ten or twelve feet in length, by sixteen inches in width, and tilted so that water may flow rapidly down it.

1874.  Raymond, Statist. Mines & Mining, 20. Inefficient implements having been largely superseded … by the long-tom and the sluice.

1890.  ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Miner’s Right, xiv. We drove and raised our wash-dirt…, and afterwards separated it … by the old-fashioned expedient of a ‘tom.’

1891.  E. Roper, By Track & Trail, xxii. 326. They have to use quicksilver in their Long Toms and cradles to save it [gold].

  b.  Long Tom: a long gun; esp. a naval gun mounted amidships, as distinct from the shorter guns of the broadside: see LONG TOM 1.

1867–.  [see LONG TOM 1].

1888.  Churchward, Blackbirding, 44. The ship was armed with four carronades on each side, and a ‘long Tom’ trained fore and aft, in the bows.

  5.  Old Tom: a name for gin. slang.

1823.  ‘Jon Bee,’ Slang Dict., 130. Old Tom, he is of the feminine gender in most other nations than this: ’tis a cask or barrel, containing strong gin, and thence by a natural transition … the liquor itself.

1832.  Egan, Bk. Sports, 268/2.

1836–.  [see OLD D. 4].

  6.  The male of various beasts and birds; perh. first for a male cat: see TOM CAT; cf. also 8 a.

1791.  Huddesford, Salmag. (1793), 141. Cats … Of titles obsolete, or yet in use, Tom, Tybert, Roger, Rutterkin, or Puss.

1826–8.  [see TABBY sb. 2 b].

1884.  Bazaar, Exch. & Mart, 17 Dec., 2205/2. Hamburghs…. Redcaps, four hens and tom, prize strain, handsome birds.

1893.  G. D. Leslie, Lett. to Marco, xxxii. 214. The tom [swan] is very gallant in defence of his mate.

1898.  Blackw. Mag., Nov., 663/2. He be a tom. I’ve heard him crow.

1905.  Daily News, 24 Jan., 8/1. Tiger, their cat (a beautifully marked tabby tom, aged five).

  7.  Combinations and phrases. a. attrib. and Comb.: tom-pin, a very large pin (Halliwell, 1847–78); tom-plough (local, E. Anglia), a double breasted plough; also called tommy and tom-tommy; † tom-rig [RIG sb.⁴], a strumpet; a romping girl, a tomboy; tom-toe, the great toe; Tom tower, a tower in which a great bell hangs; spec. at Oxford, the western tower of Christ Church; Tom-trot (Trot, Tom-trod), home-made toffee stretched or drawn out as it cools (Halliwell).

1849.  Raynbird, Agric. Suff., 301. The *tom or tommy plough is a plough with a double breast for ridging, or for clearing out furrows.

1668.  Shadwell, Sullen Lovers, Pref. a ij b. An impudent ill bred *tomrig for a Mistress.

1728.  Dennis, On Pope’s Rape of Lock, 16. The author represents Belinda a fine, modest, well-bred lady: and yet in the very next canto she appears an arrant ramp and tomrigg.

1823.  E. Moor, Suffolk Words, *Tom toe, the great toe of either foot.

1857.  in Dunglison, Med. Lex.

1853.  ‘C. Bede,’ Verdant Green, I. iii. As he looks across Christ Church Meadows and rolls past the *Tom Tower.

1844.  Disraeli, Coningsby, I. ix. I want toffy; I have been eating *Tom Trot all day.

1866.  [Charl. M. Tucker] (‘A. L. O. E.’), Parlt. in Play-room, x. 93. A plateful of brown, tempting tom-trot, otherwise known by the title of toffy.

  b.  As the first element in a personal name applied allusively, as Tom Astoner (Estenor), Tom Brown, Tom Dingle (see quots.); Tom Farthing, a fool, simpleton; Tom Pepper (Naut.), a liar; Tom Tailor, the tailor generically; Tom Tiler, Tyler, any ordinary man; also, a henpecked husband; Tom Towly, a simpleton; Tom Tram, a buffoon, jester.

1706.  E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 80. It’s barbarous … to have the Bread thus pick’d from our Mouths by little *Tom Estenors.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Tom Astoners, dashing fellows; from astound or ‘astony,’ to terrify.

1812.  J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., *Tom Brown, twelve in hand, in crib.

1711.  Brit. Apollo, III. No. 144. 3/1. Never yet Woman … had … such a poor wretched *Tom Dingle.

1689.  Shadwell, Bury F., Prol. 21. For writing … silly Grub-street Songs worse than *Tom Farthing.

1844.  Perry County Democrat, 28 Nov., 2/2. Our notion of the Federal party has sunk fifty degrees below zero on account of the many lies they told during the late election campaign—and should Tom Pepper, (who it is said was kicked out of Satan’s dominions for lying) get hold of the Freeman, the crimson blush upon his cheek would betray the shame and mortification he felt at being out-done in his favorite vocation.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *Tom Pepper, a term for a liar.

1820.  Scott, Monast., xxv. ‘We rend our hearts, and not our garments.’… ‘The better … for yourselves, and the worse for Tom Tailor,’ said the baron.

1582.  Stanyhurst, Epitaphs, in Æneis, etc. (Arb.), 154. An Epitaph … such as oure vnlearned Rythmours … make vpon thee death of euery *Tom Tyler.

1598.  (title) Tom Tylere and his Wyfe.

a. 1625.  Fletcher, Woman’s Prize, II. vi. She shall, Tom Tilers.

1582.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, Ded. (Arb.), 9. What *Tom Towly is so simple, that wyl not attempt, too bee a rithmoure?

1689.  Prior, Ep. to F. Shephard, 172. All your wits, that fleer and sham, Down from don Quixote to *Tom Tram.

c. 1700.  (title) The Mad Pranks of Tom Tram.

1739.  ‘R. Bull,’ trans. Dedekindus’ Grobianus, 39. To a Book … in Dutch, entituled, the Life of Uyle-Spegel, or Owl-glass; a Hero of equal Rank with Tom Tram in English.

  c.  Followed by another word denoting or alluding to something (esp. the action or character) distinguishing the person to whom it is applied, forming a quasi-proper name or nickname, and in various phrases with specific sense: as Tom All-thumbs, Tom-ass, Tom(-a-)doodle, Tom Piper, Tom Tapster, Tom Tawny-coat, Tom Tell-troth (-truth), Tom Trifler, Tom True-tongue, Tom Truth, Tom Two-tongued; Tom-a-Stiles: see quot. 1785, and cf. JOHN-A-STILES; Tom Bray’s bilk, at Cribbage: see quot.; Tom-come-tickle-me, an old card-game; Tom Cony (Conney), a simpleton, ninny, Tom Cox’s traverse (Naut.): see quot. 1867; Tom Double, a shuffler, an equivocator; Tom Drum: see DRUM sb.¹ 3 b; Tom Long, one who takes a long time in coming, or in finishing his tale; Tom of all trades, a Jack of all trades; Tom o’ Bedlam, a madman, a deranged person discharged from Bedlam (see BEDLAM 5) and licensed to beg; Tom Pat (slang), a parson, a hedge-priest (cf. PATRICO); also, a shoe; Tom Poker, † Tom Po, a nursery bugbear, a bogy; Tom tumbler, name for an imp or devil. See also TOM AND JERRY, TOM-FOOL, TOM-NODDY, TOM THUMB, TOM TIDDLER’S GROUND).

1598.  I. M. Health, Gent. Profession Servingmen, B iij. The Clowne, the Slouen, and *Tom althummes.

1611.  J. Field, Panegyr. Verses, in Coryat, Crudities. *Tom-Asse may passe, but, for all his long eares, No such rich jewels as our Tom he weares.

1772.  G. A. Stevens, Songs Comic & Satyr., 246. From John o’ Nokes to *Tom o’ Stiles, What is it all but Fooling?

1785.  Grose, Dict. Vulg. T., s.v. Nokes, John-a-Nokes and Tom-a-Stiles…, fictitious names commonly used in law proceedings.

1812.  J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., *Tom Bray’s Bilk, laying out ace and deuce at cribbage.

1819–20.  W. Irving, Sketch-Bk., Litt. Brit. (1865), 310. We played at All-Fours, Pope Joan, *Tom-come-tickle-me, and other choice old games.

a. 1700.  B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, *Tom Conney, a very silly fellow.

1840.  R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xii. Every man who has been three months at sea knows how to ‘work *Tom Cox’s traverse’—‘three turns round the long-boat, and a pull at the scuttled-butt.’ This morning everything went in his way.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Tom Cox’s traverse, up one hatchway and down another: others say ‘three turns round the long boat, and a pull at the scuttle.’ It means the work of an artful dodger, all jaw, and no good in him.

1708.  E. Ward, Terræ-Fil., v. 10. That one *Tom-doodle of a Son, who … if he happens to be Decoy’d … to fling away Two Pence in Strong Drink, he Talks of nothing but his Mother. Ibid. (1710), Brit. Hud., 31. Whether on him who’d … labour’d like a Tom-a-doodle, To place the Rump above the Noddle.

1705.  Charac. of Sneaker, 4. He’s for a single Ministry, that he may play the *Tom Double under it.

1707.  Reflex. upon Ridicule, II. 145. Tom-doubles are to be avoided as Enemies that would betray you.

1577, 1603.  *Tom Drum’s entertainment [see DRUM sb.¹ 3 b].

1609.  C. Butler, Fem. Mon., iv. (1623), I ij. They gently giue them Tom Drum’s entertainment.

1631.  W. Foster, Hoplochrisma-Spongus, 43. Surely this is *Tom Long the carrier, who will never doe his errand.

1785.  Grose, Dict. Vulg. T., Tom Long, a tiresome story teller; it is coming by Tom Long, the carrier, said of any thing that has been long expected.

1631.  T. Powell (title), *Tom of All Trades. Ibid., Ep. Ded. 13. Our Tom of all Trades hereupon Askt what was his condition.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, I. ii. 148. *Tom o’ Bedlam.

1671.  Glanvill, Disc. M. Stubbe, 28. [I] am afraid that some will think, that I am not well in my Wits, because I seriously answer such a Tom of Bedlam.

a. 1691.  Aubrey, Nat. Hist. Wilts., II. iv. (1847), 93. Till the breaking out of the civill warres, Tom ô Bedlam’s did travell about the countrey. They had been poore distracted men that had been putt into Bedlam, where recovering to some sobernesse they were licentiated to goe a begging.

1880.  Shorthouse, J. Inglesant (1881), I. 72. Wandering beggars and halfwitted people called ‘Tom o’ Bedlams’ who were a recognised order of mendicants.

c. 1700.  Street Robberies Consider’d, *Tom Pat, a parson.

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Oct., 78. *Tom Piper makes vs better melodie.

1616.  W. Browne, Brit. Past., II. ii. 32. So haue I seene Tom Piper stand vpon our village greene.

1744.  Grey, Hudibras, II. 207, note. You are afraid that you shall meet *Tom Po.

a. 1825.  Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Tom Poker,… the great bugbear and terror of naughty children, who inhabits dark closets [etc.].

1902.  Longm. Mag., Nov., 41. I tells him them days o’ Tom-pokers be gone.

1592.  Greene, Upst. Courtier, Wks. (Grosart), XI. 275. Last to you *Tom tapster, that tap your smale cannes of beere to the poore, and yet fil them half ful of froth.

c. 1600.  Day, Begg. Bednall Gr., I. iii. I think not but thou and this *Tom Tawny coat here gulls me.

1600.  J. Lane, Tom Tel-troth, 713. But sooth to say, *Tom-teltroth will not lie, We heere haue blaz’d Englands iniquitie.

1622.  (title) Tom Tell Troath, or a Free Discourse touching the Manners of the Tyme.

1847–78.  Halliwell, Tom-tell-trouth, a true guesser.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., P. IV. 17. And also *tomme trewe-tonge-telle-me-no-tales.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 68 b. They will all condemne you for *tomme trifler.

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., II. 179 b. For his malaparte toungne called at home … Parrhesiastes, (as ye woulde saye in englyshe), *Thom trouthe, or plain Sarisbuirie.

1550.  Latimer, Serm. at Stamford, I. 94. Maister we know that thou art Tomme truth, and thou tellest the very truth, and sparest no man.

1580.  G. Harvey, Lett. to Spenser, iv. Wks. (Grosart), I. 83. Tell me, in Tom Trothes earnest, what [he] sayth.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 162, note. Here syre was a sysour þat neuere swor treuthe, Or *tomme [v.r. thomme] two-tounged ateynt at eche enqueste.

  8.  a. In names of animals, denoting the male; see also TOM CAT.

1762.  T. Brydges, Homer Travest. (1772), 192. And, like Tom puss, o’er pantiles dance.

1859.  Bartlett, Dict. Amer. (ed. 2), Tom-Dog, male dogs, as well as cats, take the prefix ‘tom,’ in some parts of the West.

1871.  Mrs. Stowe, Old-town Stories, 92. I never heard that a tom-turkey would set on eggs.

1875.  Sussex Gloss., Tom, any cock bird, as a tom-turkey or a tom-parrot.

1890.  Glouc. Gloss., Tom, used to denote the male of birds, as ‘tom-bird,’ ‘tom-chicken,’ ‘tom-pheasant.’

1893.  G. D. Leslie, Lett. to Marco, xxxii. 214. The tom-swan … landed on a likely spot.

1905.  Daily Chron., 31 Oct., 4/7. In his part [Hampshire] people spoke of tom-rats, tom-rabbits, tom-mice, tom hedgehogs [etc.].

  b.  In familiar or local names of species: Tom-hoop [cf. HOOP sb.³ 2], Tom-noup [cf. NOPE¹] dial., the great tit (Parus major); Tom-pot, Tompot, name in Cornwall for the gattorugine, a species of blenny; in Devonshire, for the guinea-fowl, from its cry; in Devon and Somerset, a well-known kind of red-cheeked apple (also called tom-put); Tom-pudding, the little grebe; Tom-tailor, the crane-fly; in East Anglia, the stormy petrel; Tom Titmouse = TOMTIT. See also TO-COD.

1847–78.  Halliwell, *Tom-Noup, the titmouse. Salop.

1837.  J. F. Palmer, Gloss. Dialog. in Devon Dial. (E.D.D.), *Tom-put.

1863.  Couch, Brit. Fishes, II. 219. Gattorugine … is known to fishermen of the west of England by the homely appellation of Tompot.

1891.  Hartland (Devon) Gloss., Tom pot, a name sometimes given to the guinea-fowl on account of its peculiar cry.

1904.  Longm. Mag., April, 489. Cheeks as rosy as a ‘tomput’ apple.

1848.  Zoologist, VI. 2290. The little grebe or ‘dipper’ or ‘dobber’ or *‘Tom pudding.’

1853.  Hickie, trans. Aristoph. (1887), I. 37. A Bœotian might stick it in a *tom-tailor.

1856.  P. Thompson, Hist. Boston, List Provinc., Tom-tailor, the Daddy-long-legs.

1885.  Swainson, Provinc. Names Birds, 212. They [Stormy Petrels] are called Tom tailors by the Lowestoft and Yarmouth fishermen.

1576.  Gascoigne, Philomene, 26. Sometimes I wepe To see *Tom Tyttimouse, so much set by.

c. 1776.  Roxb. Ball. (1889), VI. 308. Says Tom Tit-Mouse then, ‘There be some men That will change nine times a day.’

  Hence Tom v. (nonce-wd.), trans. to address familiarly as ‘Tom’; Tomling, a small or young tom cat; Tomship (humorous), the personality of a ‘Tom.’

1821.  Southey, Lett. to C. Bedford, 3 April. Moved by compassion (his [a cat’s] colour and his tomship also being taken into consideration), I consented to give him an asylum. Ibid. (1821), 29 April. We are promised to succeed him a black Tomling.

1900.  S. J. Weyman, Sophia, xxiv. ‘Oh, you may Tom me, you don’t alter it,’ he answered roughly.