Chapter Tom Thumb to Tonio of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Tom of Ten Thousand, Thomas Thynne; so called from his great wealth. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, but why, the then dean has not thought fit to leave on record.

Tom the Piper, one of the characters in the ancient morris-dance, represented with a tabour, tabour- stick, and pipe. He carried a sword and shield, to denote his rank as a “squire minstrel.” His shoes were brown; his hose red and “gimp-thighed;” his hat or cap red, turned up with yellow, and adorned with a feather; his doublet blue, the sleeves being turned up with yellow; and he wore a yellow cape over his shoulders. (See Morris-Dance, p. 729.)

Tom’s, a noted coffee-house in Birchin Lane, the usual rendezvous of young merchants at ’Change time.

Tomahourich (Muhme Janet of), an old sibyl, aunt of Robin Oig M’Combich the Highland drover.—Sir W. Scott: The Two Drovers (time, George III.).

Tomalin, a valiant fairy knight, kinsman of kin g Oberon. Tomalin is not the same as “Tom Thumb,” as we are generally but erroneously told, for in the “mighty combat” Tomalin backed Pigwiggen, while Tom Thum or Thumb seconded king Oberon. This fairy battle was brought about by the jealousy of Oberon, who considered the attentions of Pigwiggen to queen Mab were “far too nice.”—Drayton: Nymphidia (1563–1631).

Tomb (Knight of the), James earl of Douglas in disguise.

His armour was ingeniously painted so as to represent a skeleton; the ribs being constituted by the corselet and its back-piece. The shield represented an owl with its wings spread—a device which was repeated upon the helmet, which appeared to be completely covered by an image of the same bird of ill omen. But that which was particularly calculated to excite surprise in the spectator was the great height and thinness of the figure.—Sir W. Scott: Castle Dangerous, xiv. (time, Henry I.).

Tomboy (Priscilla), a self-willed, hoydenish, ill-educated romp, of strong animal spirits, and wholly unconventional. She is a West Indian, left under the guardianship of Barnacle, and sent to London for her education. Miss Priscilla Tomboy lives with Barnacle’s brother, old [Nicholas] Cockney, a grocer, where she plays boy-and-girl love with young Walter Cockney, which consists chiefly in pettish quarrels and personal insolence. Subsequently she runs off with captain Sightly, but the captain behaves well by presenting himself next day to the guardian, and obtaining his consent to marriage.—The Romp (altered from Bickerstaffs Love in the City).

Tomès [To-may], one of the five physicia ns called in by Sganarelle to consult on the malady of his daughter Lucinde . Being told that a coachman he was attending was dead and buried, the doctor asserted it to be quite impossible, as the coachman had bee n ill only six days, and Hippocratês had positively stated that the disorder would not come to its height till the fourteenth day. The five doctors meet in consultation. talk of the town gossip, their medical experience, their visits, anything, in short, except the patient. At length the father enters to inquire what decision they had come to. One says Lucinde must have an emetic, M. Tomès says she must be blooded; one says an emetic will be her death, the other that bleeding will infallibly kill her.

M. Tomès. Si vous ne faites saigner tout à l’heure votre fille, c’est une personne morte.

M. Desfonandrès. Si vous la faites saigner, elle ne sera pas en vie dans un quart-d’-heure.

And they quit the house in great anger (act ii. 4).—Molière: L’Amour Médecin (1665).

M. Tomès liked correctness in medical practice.—Macaulay.