• TO-HACK
vb. to hack to pieces …c1000 obs.
• TO-HALE
vb. to haul or drag asunder; to pull about …1387 obs.
• TO-HEAR
vb. to hearken to, to listen to …a1225 obs.
• TO-HEAVE
vb. to ‘lift up’ one’s eyes, to open …1398 obs.
• TO HELL
adv. 1912 US sl. – thoroughly; irretrievably
• TO HELL AND GONE
adv. 1912 US sl. – thoroughly; irretrievably
• TO HELL WITH YOU!
int. used as an expression of irritation or anger …1846 Amer. sl.
• TO-HENE
vb. to mutilate by stoning …c1200 obs.
• TO-HEW
vb. to hew to pieces …c1000 obs.
• TO-HIELD
vb. to cause to incline, to lean, to bend, to fall over ; to push or pull down …c1205 obs.
• TO (HIGH) HEAVEN
adv. 1912 – very strongly; fervently; sincerely
• TOHIND
adv. 1911 Amer. dial. – behind
prep. 1911 Amer. dial. – behind
• TO-HOPE
n. hope, expectation …c888
• TOHU AND BOHU
n. that which is empty and formless; chaos; disorder; utter confusion …1619
• TOHU-BOHU
n. that which is empty and formless; chaos; disorder; utter confusion …1619
• TO-HURT
vb. to dash or knock asunder …a1225 obs.
• TOIL
n. 1. a1300 obs. – verbal contention, dispute, controversy, argument
n. 2. a1400 arch. – battle, strife, turmoil
n. 3. 1607 obs. rare – a trap or snare for wild beasts
vb. 1. c1325 obs. – to pull, to drag, to tug about
vb. 2. c1330 obs. – to contend in a lawsuit or an argument; to dispute, to argue; also, to contend in battle; to fight, to struggle .
vb. 3. c1430 obs. – in cookery: to stir, to mix by stirring
vb. 4. 1621 – to entrap, to entangle
vb. 5. 1887 Eng. dial. – to set a trap
• TOIL-DROP
n. a drop of sweat caused by toil …1805
• TOILE
n. cloth …1561 obs.
• TOILED
adj. exhausted with toil; worn-out, weary …1592 arch.
• TOILER
n. a hard-working person …1549
• TOILET
n. 1. 1540 obs. – a piece of stuff used as a wrapper for clothes
n. 2. 1681 – the act or process of dressing
n. 3. 1682 – a cloth cover for a dressing-table, formerly often of rich material and workmanship; later called a toilet-cover
n. 4. 1684 obs. rare – a towel or cloth thrown over the shoulders during hairdressing; also, a shawl
n. 5. 1703 now Hist. – the reception of visitors by a lady during the concluding stages of her toilet; very fashionable in the 18th century
n. 6. 1819 – a dressing-room; in the US, a dressing-room furnished with bathing facilities
n. 7. 1821 – manner or style of dressing; dress, costume, ‘get-up’; also, a dress or costume, a gown
n. 8. 1885 – preparation for execution
n. 9. 1885 – the cleaning up of a street, a ship, etc.
vb. 1840 – to wash and attire oneself; to dress, to attire
• TOILET-CAP
n. a cap formerly worn by men of fashion while dressing …1660 obs.
• TOILET-ROOM
n. a dressing-room …1794
• TOILOUS
adj. 1. c1430 obs. rare – contentious, disputatious, wrangling, argumentative
adj. 2. 1530 obs. rare – full of toil, toilsome, laborious
• TOIL OUT
vb. to tire out, to exhaust with toil …1610 arch.
• TOIL-WORN
adj. showing marks of toil, worn by toil …1751
• TOISE
vb. to measure with the eye, to eye from head to foot, to stare, to gaze at …1889 rare
• TOITISH
adj. saucy, pert, or impudent; easily offended; flighty in temper; irritable, ill-tempered, snappish …1846 Eng. dial.
• TOJO
n. a Japanese soldier; Japanese forces collectively …1942 services’ sl.
• TOKE
n. 1. 1843 sl. – bread; a slice of bread
n. 2. 1968 US sl. – a drag on a cigarette or pipe containing marijuana or other narcotic substance
n. 3. 1971 Amer. sl. – a gratuity or tip
vb. 1952 sl. – to smoke a marijuana cigarette
• TOKEN
n. 1. 971 obs. – a sign or presage of something to come; an omen, portent, prodigy
n. 2. a1000 rare or obs. – a signal given; a sign to attract attention or give notice
n. 3. a1000 obs. – an ensign, a standard
n. 4. c1000 obs. rare – a sign of the zodiac
n. 5. c1440 obs. rare – the sign of an inn, etc.
n. 6. 1634 rare or obs. – a spot on the body indicating disease, esp. the plague
n. 7. 1825 Sc. – an odd ridiculous person
n. 8. 1899 Amer. dial. – an apparition or other apparently supernatural omen, esp. of death or disaster
vb. 1. c1300 obs. – to mark with a sign or significant mark
vb. 2. 1880 Eng. dial. – to betroth, to promise in marriage
• TOKENER
n. one who or that which portends or prognosticates; a portent, an omen …1513 obs.
• TOKENING
n. a zodiac sign …c1400 obs.
• TOKEN UP
vb. to put up in writing, to write out …1535 obs. rare
• TO-KERVE
vb. to cut to pieces, to cut up; to cut off …c950 obs.
• TOKO
n. chastisement, corporal punishment …1823 sl.
• TOKUS
n. the buttocks …1914 sl., chiefly N. Amer.
• TOKYO
n. the nose …1992 UK rhyming sl. (Tokyo Rose)
• TOKYO ROSE
n. the nose …1992 UK rhyming sl.
• TOLABLE
adj. tolerable …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• TO-LAY
vb. to put forward, to allege …c1450 obs.
• TOLBOOTH
n. 1. 1440 chiefly Sc. – a town hall or guildhall
n. 2. c1470 chiefly Sc. – a town prison, a jail
• TOL-DE-ROL
int. 1782 – an exclamation of jollity
n. 1765 – a combination of syllables used as the refrain of a song
• TOL DE ROL LOL!
int. an exclamation of jollity …1797
• TOLD OUT
adj. played out, spun out, exhausted, weary …1861 colloq.
• TOLE
n. c1000 obs. – evil-speaking, calumny, slander; blasphemy; reproach, blame
vb. Bk1913 US & Eng. dial. – to lure, to decoy; to lead or bring along; to induce
• TO-LEAVE
vb. to relinquish, to abandon …1432-50 obs.
• TOLE-DISH
n. the vagina …18C sl.
• TOLERABILITY
n. the quality or state of being tolerable; tolerableness …1640 rare
• TOLERABLISH
adj. somewhat tolerable, pretty fair, just passable …1798 rare
• TOLERANCE
n. 1. 1412-20 obs. – the act of enduring or sustaining pain or hardship; the power or capacity of enduring; endurance
n. 2. 1539 obs. – the act of allowing; license, permission granted by an authority
• TOLERANCY
n. the quality of being tolerant …a1556 rare
• TOLERANTIAL
adj. pert. to tolerance, tolerant …1681 obs. rare
• TOLERAT
adj. tolerated …1711 obs.
• TOLERATE
vb. 1. 1531 obs. – to endure, to sustain pain or hardship
vb. 2. 1579-80 obs. rare – to relax
• TOLERATION
n. 1. 1517-18 obs. – the act of allowing; permission granted by authority, license
n. 2. 1531 obs. – the act of sustaining or enduring; endurance
• TOLERATIVE
adj. tending to toleration; tolerant …1891 rare
• TOLIBON
n. the tongue …M19 UK criminals’ sl.
• TO-LIE
vb. to lie or extend in different directions …c893 obs.
• TO-LIM
vb. to tear limb from limb; to dismember …a1225 obs.
• TO-LIMEKEN
vb. to dismember …c1275 obs.
• TO-LITHE
vb. to dismember …c1000 obs.
• TOLL
n. 1. c1000 obs. – rent paid for a house, mill, etc.
n. 2. c1000 obs. – a charge made for passage in a ship, fare
n. 3. 1644 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – a clump of trees
n. 4. 1680 obs. – a charge for the right of landing or shipping goods at a port; formerly also, a customs duty
vb. 1. c1220 obs. – to attract, to entice, to allure, to decoy; to incite, to instigate
vb. 2. a1400-50 obs. – to pull, to drag, to draw physically
• TOLLATION
n. the act of lifting …1688 obs. rare
• TOLL-DISH
n. the vagina …18C sl.
• TOLLER
n. 1. c1000 obs. – a tax-gatherer
n. 2. c1440 obs. – one who entices or instigates
n. 3. L16 sl. – a horse-stealer
vb. 1974 Amer. dial. – to induce one to come or follow; to lure, to entice, to decoy
• TOLL GATE
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – the gap left in a child’s mouth where he has lost a front tooth
• TOLLING
adj. a1225 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – enticing, alluring
n. a1225 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – the act of enticing, allurement; incitement, instigation
• TOLL-LOLL × TOL-LOL
adj. 1. 1797 sl. – tolerable, bearable, pretty good, pretty well, passable; in fairly good health
adj. 2. 1849 Aust. sl. – overbearing
adj. 3. Bk1897 Eng. dial. sl. – intoxicated
adj. 4. 1902 Aust. & US sl. – foppish
• TOL-LOLLISH
adj. M19 – tolerable, bearable
adv. M19 – tolerably
• TOLL SHOP
n. a prison …Bk1891 sl.
• TOLL THE BELL ON
vb. to put an end to; to forbid …1900s sl.
• TOLLUTATE
vb. of a horse: to trot or amble …1803 humorous
• TOLLUTATION
n. of a horse: trotting, an ambling pace …1646 obs. rare
• TOLLY
n. 1890 school sl., now arch. or hist. – a candle; a tallow candle
vb. 1890 Harrow School usage – to work by candle-light after the lights have been extinguished; to ‘burn the midnight oil’; chiefly used with ‘up’
• TOLLYWHACKER
n. a roll of paper used as a club in children’s play …1920s sl.
• TOLNE
n. tax, custom, duty …1023 obs.
• TOLNER
n. a tax-gatherer …c1050 obs.
• TOLO
n. a dance to which women invite men …1947 Amer. dial.
• TO-LOOK
n. a looking to, a prospect …a1572 Sc. obs.
• TO-LOUK
vb. to pull or tear to pieces; to pull apart, to wrench asunder …c890 obs.
• TOLPATCH
n. a foot-soldier …1705
• TOLPATCHERY
n. infantry …1864 nonce word
• TOLPATZ
n. a foot-soldier …1705
• TOLTER
adj. 1423 Sc. & Eng. dial. – moving unsteadily; unsteady, unstable, tottering; insecure, precarious
adv. 1423 Sc. & Eng. dial. – unsteadily
vb. 1529 Eng. dial. – to move unsteadily; to flounder; to turn or toss about; to hobble; to walk unevenly
• TO-LUG
vb. to lug or pull about …1362 obs.
• TO-LUKE
vb. to pull or tear to pieces; to pull apart, to wrench asunder …c890 obs.
• TOLUTATE
vb. to trot or amble …1796 humorous obs.
• TOLUTATION
n. of a horse: trotting, an ambling pace …1646 obs. rare
• TOLUTILOQUENCE
n. 1656 obs. rare – a talking ‘at a trot’; speech that moves briskly along; voluble discourse
• TOLY
vb. c1440 obs. – to dispute, to argue; to contend or plead in a lawsuit
• TOM
adj. 20C sl., orig. African-American – outwardly subservient, in the context of Black/White relations
n. 1. 1820 – a clown
n. 2. 1906 Aust. sl. – a woman; a young woman; a girlfriend
n. 3. 1920 sl. – a tomato
n. 4. 1941 police and criminal sl. – a prostitute
n. 5. 1955 Brit. rhyming sl. (Tomfoolery) – jewellery
n. 6. 1959 sl. – a subservient Black person, fitting willingly into the stereotyped and inferior image refined by generations of White supremacy; a middle-class Black who wishes to distance himself from the ghetto; an affected or pretentious African-American person
n. 7. 1968 Amer. dial. – a Black man
vb. 1. 1963 Amer. dial. – to be servile or ingratiating
vb. 2. 1964 police and criminal sl. – to work as a prostitute
• TOMAHAWK
vb. 1. 1815 – to attack savagely or mercilessly in speech or in writing; to demolish in a review or criticism
vb. 2. 1859 Aust. – to cut a sheep in shearing it
• TOM AND JERRY
n. 1865 sl.– a low drinking shop
vb. 1828 – (as ‘Tom-and-Jerry’) to drink and indulge in riotous behaviour, like the young bloods of the Regency period
• TOM-AND-JERRYISM
n. drunken roistering, window-breaking, and the like …1852
• TO MARVEL
adv. wonderfully …c1500 obs.
• TOM ASTONER
n. a dashing fellow …1706
• TOMATER
n. a tomato …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• TOMATO
n. a sexually attractive woman …1922 sl., orig. US
• TOM-A-TOE
n. a tomato …1854 Amer. dial.
• TOMATO PIE
n. pizza; a pizza …1942 Amer. dial.
• TOMATO SAUCE
n. a horse …1905 Aust. rhyming sl.
• TOM-AX
n. a tomahawk …1759 obs. rare
• TOMB
n. a tombstone …1972 Amer. dial.
• TOMBAL
adj. pert. to a tomb …1900 rare
• TOMBIC
adj. pert. to tombs, sepulchral …1874
• TOMBLET
n. a small tomb or burial-mound …1855 rare
• TOMBOY
n. 1. a1553 obs. – a rude, boisterous, or forward boy
n. 2. 1579 obs. – a bold or immodest woman
n. 3. 1592 – a wild, romping girl
• TOMBOYADE
n. an escapade in the manner of a tomboy …1886 nonce word
• TOMBOYFUL
adj. having the character of a tomboy …1887
• TOMB ROCK
n. a tombstone …1932 Amer. dial.
• TOMBSTONE
n. 1. 1883 sl. – a pawn ticket
n. 2. 1903 sl. – a projecting tooth
• TOMBSTONE TOOTH
n. 1873 Amer. dial. – a tooth, esp. a large or prominent one
• TOMCAT
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a philanderer
vb. 1927 US sl. – (as ‘tom-cat’) of a man: to pursue women promiscuously for the sake of sexual gratification
• TOM-CAT AROUND
vb. of a man: to pursue women promiscuously for the sake of sexual gratification …1927 US sl.
• TOMCATTER
n. a man who is out searching for a willing sexual companion; a philanderer …1947 Amer. dial.
• TOM CONNEY
n. a simpleton, a ninny, a very silly fellow …a1700
• TOM CONY
n. a simpleton, a ninny, a very silly fellow …a1700
• TOM DINGLE
n. a poor, wretched fellow …1711
• TOM-DOG
n. a male dog …1859
• TOM DOUBLE
n. a shuffler, an equivocator …1705
• TOM DRUM’S ENTERTAINMENT
n. a rough reception, esp. the throwing out of an unwelcome guest; ill-treatment; ignominious dismissal …1587 sl.
• TOME
n. each of the separate volumes which compose a literary work or book …1519 obs.
• TOMECIDE
n. 1849 nonce word – a destroyer of books
• TOMELET
n. 1846 nonce word – a small volume
• TO-MELT
vb. a1240 obs. – to melt away, to dissolve
• TOM FARTHING
n. 1689 – a fool, a simpleton
• TOMFOOL
adj. extremely foolish
n. 1. 1565 obs. – a man mentally deficient; a half-witted person
n. 2. 1650 – a buffoon; also, a butt, a laughingstock
n. 3. 1721 – a foolish or stupid person; one who behaves foolishly
vb. 1825 – (as ‘tom-fool’) to play the fool
• TOMFOOLERY
n. 1931 Brit. rhyming sl. – jewellery
• TOMICE
n. 1662 rare – the art of carving
• TO-MID
prep. c1420 obs. – amid, in the midst of
• TO-MIDS
adv. c1000 obs. – in the midst
prep. c1000 obs. – in the midst of, amid
• TO-MINISH
vb. 1382 obs. – to make small, to break up
• TOMLING
n. 1821 rare – a little or young tomcat
• TOM LONG
n. 1631 – one who takes a long time in coming, or in finishing his tale; a tiresome story-teller
• TOMMACK
n. 1789 Sc. & Ireland – a hillock; a little knoll in a marsh or in damp grazing land
• TOMMIE
n. 1886 Amer. dial. – the penis
• TOM MOLLY
n. L17 sl. – an effeminate man; a male homosexual
• TOMMY
n. 1. 1825 Eng. dial. – a loaf of bread
n. 2. 1829 – a simpleton, a fool
n. 3. 1881 – a spanner; a screwdriver
n. 4. 1884 sl. – a British private soldier
n. 5. 1886 Amer. dial. – the penis
n. 6. 1911 – food, provisions generally
n. 7. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a girl
n. 8. 1940s US sl. – a tomboy
n. 9. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a sub-machine gun
• TOMMY ATKINS
n. 1883 – a typical private soldier in the British army
• TOMMY-BUSTER
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – one who takes women by storm
• TOMMY-GUN
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a sub-machine gun
• TOMMYHAWK
n. 1. 1844 Amer. dial. – a tomahawk
n. 2. 1938 Amer. dial. – the penis
• TOMMYHAWKS
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – stilts
• TOMMYKNOCKER
n. 1910 Amer. dial. – a ghost or spirit said to live in mines; the noise made by such a spirit
• TOMMY-LONG-LEGS
n. 1863 – the daddy-longlegs
• TOMMY MAN
n. 1930 US sl. – a gangster armed with a Tommy gun
• TOMMY-NODDY
n. 1828 – a foolish or stupid person
• TOMMY-NODDY-HEAD
n. 1. 1923 Sc. – a tadpole
n. 2. 1923 Sc. – the crane-fly
• TOMMY-ROT
n. 1884 – nonsense, twaddle
• TOMMYROTIC
adj. 1895 – nonsensical
• TOMMY’S TOE
n. 1854 Amer. dial. – a tomato
• TOMMY-THIBEL
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – the first finger
• TOMMYTOE
n. 1854 Amer. dial. – a tomato
• TOMMY WALKERS
n. 1923 Amer. dial. – stilts
• TOM-NODDY
n. 1. 1702 Eng. dial. – the puffin, Fratercula arctica
n. 2. 1828 – a foolish or stupid person; a blockhead, dunce, dolt, simpleton
n. 3. 1877 Eng. dial. – a tadpole
• TOM O’ BEDLAM
n. 1561 obs. – a madman; a deranged person discharged from Bedlam and licensed to beg
• TOM OF ALL TRADES
n. 1631 – a Jack of all trades
• TOMOMANIA
n. Bk1991 – an obsession with surgery
• TOMOPHOBIA
n. Bk1991 – an abnormal fear of surgical operations
• TO-MORN
adv. c897 obs. – tomorrow
n. c1205 obs. – tomorrow
• TO-MORROWER
n. 1810 – one who puts off till tomorrow; a procrastinator
• TO-MORROWING
adj. 1824 – procrastinating
• TOM OUT
vb. to be servile or ingratiating …2009 Amer. dial.
• TOM PAT
n. 1. c1700 sl. – a parson
n. 2. c1700 sl. – a shoe
• TOM PEPPER
n. 1867 nautical usage – a liar
• TOMPION
n. 1729 obs. – a plug for stopping an aperture, e.g. a bung for a cask, etc.
• TOM PO
n. 1744 obs. – a nursery bugbear, a bogy
• TOM POKER
n. a1825 – a nursery bugbear, a bogy
• TOM-RIG
n. 1668 obs. – a strumpet; a romping girl, a tomboy
• TOM TAILOR
n. 1820 – a tailor
• TOM-TART
n. Aust. obs. rhyming sl. – a sweetheart
• TOM TELLTRUTH
n. 1600 – a truthful person
• TOM THUMB
n. 1. 1579 – a dwarf or pygmy of popular tradition or fable; hence, a dwarf or diminutive male person; also contemptuously, a petty or insignificant person
n. 2. 1905 rhyming sl., orig. Aust. – rum
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a nickname for a short person
n. 4. 1972 Amer. dial. – the thumb
• TOM THUMBS
n. 1887 Amer. dial. – the intestines of a hog
• TOM TIDDLER’S GROUND
n. 1848 sl. – any place where money or other consideration is ‘picked up’ or acquired readily; also, a disputed or ‘debatable territory, a no man’s land between two states’
• TOM TILER
n. 1582 – any ordinary man; also, a henpecked husband
• TOM-TIT
n. 1. 1741 – a little man or boy
n. 2. 19C Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘shit’ – defecation; dung
vb. 19C Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘shit’ – to defecate
• TOM-TODDY
n. 1880 Eng. dial. – a tadpole, a young frog
• TOM-TOE
n. 1823 – the big toe
• TOM-TOM
n. 1854 Amer. dial. – a tomato
• TOM TOMATO
n. 1854 Amer. dial. – a tomato
• TOM TOWLY
n. 1582 – a simpleton
• TOM TRAM
n. 1689 – a buffoon, a jester
• TOM TUG
n. Bk1891 sl. – a fool; a soft-head
• TOM TUMBLER
n. Bk1926 – an imp or devil
• TOM TURDMAN
n. L18 Brit. sl. – the man who hauls away excrement; a cleaner of privies
• TOM TYLER
n. 1582 – any ordinary man; also, a henpecked husband
• TOM WALKERS
n. stilts …1899 Amer. dial.
Back to INDEX T
Back to DICTIONARY
Updated: February 26, 2023
Lexicophilia 