/ˈtɑmi/, /ˈtɒmi/
- A diminutive of the male given name Thomas.
“The Tory hard right is in the ascendancy, and a fascist street movement – led by convicted fraudster Tommy Robinson – represents a growing threat.”
- A diminutive of the female given name Thomasina.
- abbreviation, alt-of, colloquial, ellipsisEllipsis of Tommy Atkins, a typical private in the British army; a British soldier.
“Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll”
“And every night now he played pontoon, that game of the Tommies, with Mrs Bolton, gambling with sixpences.”
“Meanwhile the Tommies had discovered several large tins of ham in the captured lorry. 'That,' said the big Nazi, 'is for our tea.' 'No,' said a Tommy sergeant-major. 'That's for our tea. For you, chum”
- broadly, colloquialAny common soldier; a member of the rank and file.
“May was in New Zealand when war broke out, and immediately left for France, where she worked in a military hospital in a converted high school in Marseilles. Writing home, she said that the French off”
- obsolete, rareA lesbian.
“Here, here, here again! Coquettes, flirts, harlots, adultereſſes, tulips, pinks, roſes, lilies, violets, wormwood, fennel, and hemlock! Unnatural, unnatural, unnatural! Tommies, Tommies, Tommies! Wome”
- abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsisEllipsis of tommy boy.
- UK, countable, slang, uncountableA British infantryman, especially one from World War I. Ellipsis of Tommy Atkins.
- UK, countable, obsolete, slang, uncountableBread or breadlike foodstuff, generally a penny roll.
- UK, countable, obsolete, slang, uncountableThe supply of food carried by workmen as their daily allowance.
- UK, countable, obsolete, slang, uncountableA truck, or barter; the exchange of labour for goods instead of money; the scrip by which such exchange occurs.
“No. 84. April 6. * * * * * *, aged 13: Works at gimlets and centre-bits, &c.; works from six in the morning till seven at night; has worked here about two years; gets 4s. 6d. a week. Works for one of ”
- countable, uncountableA tommy bar.
- abbreviation, alt-of, countable, slang, uncountableShort for Tommy gun
- UK, obsolete, slang, transitiveTo pay (employees) according to the truck system, with goods instead of money.
FormsTommies(plural) · tommies(plural) · tommies(present, singular, third-person) · tommying(participle, present) · tommied(participle, past) · tommied(past)