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Tomboy

.

A romping girl, formerly used for a harlot. (Saxon, tumbere, a dancer or romper; Danish, tumle, “to tumble about;” French, tomber; Spanish, tumbar; our tumble.) The word may either be tumbe-boy (one who romps like a boy), or a tumber (one who romps), the word boy being a corruption.

“A lady

So fair … to be partnerʹa

With tomboys.”


Halliwell gives the following quotation:—


“Herodias doughter that was a tumb-estre and tumblede before [the king] and other grete lordes of the conré, he granted to geve hure whatevere she would bydde.”

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Tom Foolery
Tom Long
Tom Raw
Tom Tailor
Tom Thumb
Tom Tidler’s Ground
Tom Tug
Tom and Jerry—i.e
Tom, Dick, and Harry
Tom oBedlams
Tomboy
Tomahawk
Tomb of Our Lord
Tommy Atkins (A)
Tommy Dodd
Tommy Shop
To morrow never Comes
Tonans
Tongue of the Trump (The)
Tongues
Tonna (Mrs.)