Tom Jones
English
WOTD – 28 February 2009, 28 February 2010
Etymology
After the title character in The History of Tom Jones, written by Henry Fielding and published in 1749; now perhaps also influenced by the Welsh singer of the same name and similar reputation.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˌtɒm ˈdʒəʊnz/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˌtɑm ˈdʒoʊnz/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
Tom Jones (plural Tom Joneses)
- (rare) A desirable man of loose morals, prone to having sex with many women.
- 1909, Jerome K. Jerome, chapter X, in They and I:
- All men are not Tom Joneses. The standard of masculine behaviour continues to go up: many of us make fine efforts to conform to it, and some of us succeed. But the Tom Jones is there in all of us who are not anaemic or consumptive.
- 1992, Barenaked Ladies, “The King of Bedside Manor”, in Gordon:
- You know he's not the king of Bedside Manor.
He's not the Tom Jones who lives next door.
Usage notes
The nearest synonyms (casanova, Don Juan, etc.) typically carry a connotation of actively seducing women. By contrast, a Tom Jones attracts women passively with his personal qualities, then gives in to the temptation to bed them.
Synonyms
- (desirable man of loose morals): casanova, Don Juan, lady-killer, Lothario
- See also Thesaurus:libertine
Anagrams
Tagalog
Etymology
Pun on tomguts (backslang of gutom) and either Tommy Lee Jones or Tom Jones.
Pronunciation
- (Standard Tagalog)
- IPA(key): /ˌtom ˈd͡ʒowns/ [ˌt̪om ˈd͡ʒoʊ̯n̪s]
- IPA(key): (no palatal assimilation) /ˌtom ˈdjowns/ [ˌt̪om ˈd̪joʊ̯n̪s]
- Rhymes: -owns
- IPA(key): /ˌtom ˈd͡ʒuns/ [ˌt̪om ˈd͡ʒun̪s] (dated)
- IPA(key): (no palatal assimilation) /ˌtom ˈdjuns/ [ˌt̪om ˈd̪jun̪s] (dated)
- Rhymes: -uns
- IPA(key): /ˌtom ˈd͡ʒowns/ [ˌt̪om ˈd͡ʒoʊ̯n̪s]
Adjective
Tom Jones (Baybayin spelling ᜆᜓᜋ᜔ ᜇ᜔ᜌᜓᜏ᜔ᜈ᜔ᜐ᜔)
Further reading
- Zorc, R. David, San Miguel, Rachel (1993) Tagalog Slang Dictionary[1], Manila: De La Salle University Press, →ISBN