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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065 |
Does anyone else recognise the expression "on my (your/his/her) tod", meaning alone? It's one my father, who was born and brought up in London in the nineteen-thirties, uses.
Bingley
Bingley
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
I'd certainly never heard it, but.
[Short for Tod Sloan (occas. used in full), name of a U.S. jockey (1874–1933), used as rhyming slang for ‘own’ in the phr. on one's own.]
on one's tod: alone, on one's own. Cf. Pat Malone.
1934 P. Allingham Cheapjack vi. 56 ‘Are you on your tod?’ I gathered that she was asking me if I was on my own. 1956 L. Godfrey in Pick of Today's Short Stories 91, I was in a small ward, and one evening some clot turned on the bloomin' wireless, and then went out, leaving me on my tod. 1959 J. Wain Travelling Woman 7 Frequent visits to town on your Tod Sloan—no need to account for your doings. Leave her to keep the home fires burning. 1966 T. E. B. Clarke Wide Open Door xi. 156 I'm on me Tod 'cept for the baby. 1972 J. Brown Chancer v. 64 That left Sonny and me on our tod in the public. 1981 ‘G. Gaunt’ Incomer xiii. 71 Maybe they don't want your company.+ Never seen you on your tod before.
they don't deign to tell us how a U.S. jockey got into London rhyming slang.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Here's a URL that tells that Tod Sloan was world class, inventing an important different way of adjusting stirrups, and did race many times in England: http://hall.racingmuseum.org/jockey.asp?ID=222
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Wow, thanks, Dr. Bill! I'll bet not too many of us knew this (I quote from the site):
In 1897 Tod Sloan began riding in England. His unusual riding style coupled with his flamboyant personality brought him instant fame. He called himself Todhunter and English race-goers called him Toddy. But it was George M. Cohan who coined Sloan's most famous nickname, Yankee Doodle Dandy, written about the American jockey. And thanks, Bingley, for posting something that led to me learning this! 
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