tommy

1. (colloquial) Ellipsis of Tommy Atkins, a typical private in the British army; a British soldier.Examples: "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, chummy, we've kept a nice bit of bull.'"Synonyms: Tommy Atkinsabbreviationalt-ofcolloquialellipsis

2. (by extension) Any common soldier; a member of the rank and file.Examples: "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 officers were said to be 'fussy' so she was glad to be nursing the Tommies (meaning French rank and file): 'they are brave and good, and patient, and such grateful patients. They are helpful to each other, and take such an interest in their fellow sufferers.'"broadly

3. (rare, obsolete) A lesbian.Examples: "Here, here, here again! Coquettes, flirts, harlots, adultereſſes, tulips, pinks, roſes, lilies, violets, wormwood, fennel, and hemlock! Unnatural, unnatural, unnatural! Tommies, Tommies, Tommies! Women kiſſing women; doating, languiſhing, dying, pining, crying, caterwauling, for each other! Ha, ha, ha! O the madneſs of this age!"obsoleterare

1. (slang, UK) A British infantryman, especially one from World War I. Short for 'Tommy Atkins.'UKcountableslanguncountable

2. (UK, slang, obsolete) Bread or breadlike foodstuff, generally a penny roll.UKcountableobsoleteslanguncountable

3. (UK, slang, obsolete) The supply of food carried by workmen as their daily allowance.UKcountableobsoleteslanguncountable

4. (UK, slang, obsolete) A truck, or barter; the exchange of labour for goods instead of money; the scrip by which such exchange occurs.Examples: "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 the men; every man pays his own boy; is paid in tommy; the man he works for gives him a note to the office, Mr. Parsons', for the money; Mr. James Parsons gives him the money, and he gives it to the man, who gives him the tommy for the money. It is John Parsons's Tommy-shop; doesn't know if his name is over the door, can't read. The man he works for behaves well to him; does not beat him; likes his work, has nothing to complain of. Went to a day-school about three years ago, but for a very little time. His father could not afford to pay for it; it was only 2d. a week, but they could hardly get bread enough at that time. Never goes to a Sunday-school; his clothes is ript so bad his father's ashamed on him going. Not badly grown; meagre, not unhealthy; dirty, and in rags."UKcountableobsoleteslanguncountable

5. (slang) Short for Tommy gunabbreviationalt-ofcountableslanguncountable

1. (UK, slang, obsolete, transitive) To pay (employees) according to the truck system, with goods instead of money.UKobsoleteslangtransitive