c. 1889. Daily Telegraph [S. J. and C.]. Now that 'love-apples' have become cheap, the masses may be seen continually munching them, not only because the tommies are nice, but because they are red.
Tommy Atkins (Mr. Atkins or
Tommy), subs. phr. (common).—(1)
A soldier (of privates only);
and (2) among soldiers themselves
= a private's pocket account-book.
[On attestation forms and other
documents occurs the sample
name 'Thomas Atkins.' 'I,
"Thomas Atkins," swear to do
so-and-so.' The same bogus
name appears in the Mutiny Act;
it is, in fact, a tradition of a century,
and was popularised by
Rudyard Kipling in Barrack-room
Ballads.] Fr. Dumanet.
1883. G. A. S[ala] [in Illustr. L. News, 7 July, 3, 3]. In Tamil and Teluga 'Rôtie means a loaf of bread. Long since Private Tommy Atkins, returning from Indian service, has acclimatised the word.
1892. Kipling, Barrack Room Ballads, 'Tommy' [Title]. Ibid. God bless you, Tommy Atkins, We're all the world to you (?).
1899. Hyne, Furth. Adv. Captain Kettle, iii. I am coming back again to give your . . . Tommies bad fits.
1899. Wyndham, Queen's Service, 303. The British soldier—I hate the term 'Tommy Atkins,' it is an impertinence and the expression of the shop-boy.
1901. Pall Mall Gaz., 28 Nov., 2. 2. A nonconformist minister of the Colonial Missionary Society paid a high and well-merited tribute to Mr. Atkins last night.
1902. Free Lance, 4 Jan., 346. 1. The Sisters of Nazareth . . . have done splendid work at the war, and not an officer or a Tommy fails to bless the Sisters in black and blue.
Tommy-axe, subs. phr. (Australian).—A
corruption of Tomahawk
(q.v.): an instance of the law of
Hobson-Jobson (q.v.); but see
quot.
1759. Johnson, Idler, No. 40. An Indian dressed as he goes to war may bring company together; but if he carries the scalping-knife and tom-ax . . . many . . . will . . . never see him but through a grate.
Tommy Dodd, subs. phr. (common).—1.
The odd man: in tossing,
either winner or loser of a 'call,'
according to agreement; also (2)
the mode of tossing. [It was the
refrain of a Music Hall song, circa
1866—'Heads or tails are sure to
win, Tommy Dodd, Tommy
Dodd.']
Tommy o' Rann, subs. phr. (rhyming).—Scran;
food.
Tommy-rot, subs. phr. (common).—Drivelling
nonsense; bosh
(q.v.); gammon (q.v.). As verb
= to fool, to humbug; tommy-rotics
= obscenity, erotic balderdash.
1887. Punch, 10 Sept., iii. Gladstone's gab about 'masses and classes' is all tommy rot.
1897. Marshall, Pomes, 8. I ain't dealing in tommy rot. Ibid., 68. Well, really, mater, you're the green 'un to believe such tommy rot.
1901. Cleeve, As Twig is Bent, 199.
Tommy Tripe, verb phr. (rhyming).—To
observe; to pipe (q.v.):
also Tommy. Tommy his plates
= Look at his feet.
Tom-noddy (or Tommy-noddy),
subs. phr. (common).—A fool:
see Noddy and Buffle.
Tom o' Bedlam. See Bedlam
beggar and Abraham-man.
To-morrow Come Never, phr.
(old).—Never; at the Greek
calends: see Queen Dick
(Grose).
