The other day, I told someone that a certain silly thing was happening. It was a bunch of “tomfoolery.”
It is a term that I’m sure young people don’t use these days. You won’t hear them say “tomfoolery,” or “shenanigans,” or “monkey business.” According to them, they’d probably be “vibing” or just “foolin’.”
Anyway. The dictionary says that “tomfoolery” refers to “silly or playful behavior, often involving tricks or pranks. It’s sometimes used to describe someone’s antics or behavior that is amusing but not necessarily serious.”
It seems that “tomfoolery” has its roots in the 16th century when it was used to describe playful or mischievous behavior way back then. The name “Tom Fool” was a character that appeared in English plays and literature. Of course it always represented a foolish or naïve person. Mostly just goofy. On the stage, at first. Then in real life.
Now it is fading from our vocabulary.
Along with some other “Tom” words.
Like these.
Tomcat – We all know these guys. The prowlers. Of course, the term refers to a male cat, especially one that is unneutered and often known for roaming around looking for mates. So then, it can also be used metaphorically to describe a man who is promiscuous or who behaves in a similarly free-spirited way.
And what about Tom Thumb? This is a reference to a small or tiny person. Many of us still know the famous English fairy tale character Tom Thumb. He was a very small child with great adventures. So, from there, the term morphed over to describe something or someone unusually small. But not so much anymore.
Another “tommy” phrase is Tommyrot. This is an old-fashioned term for nonsense or foolish talk. It’s used to dismiss something as absurd or nonsensical. It is pretty much completely gone from modern language. I guess “tommyrot” got the old “tommyrot.”
And finally, there is Tommy Gun. This is also not around at all. For those who don’t know it, this was a type of submachine gun. You can see it in a bunch of old gangster movies. That’s because it was used notably during the Prohibition era here in the United States. As I mentioned, it was popularized by gangsters, and its name is derived from the inventor, John T. Thompson. Rat-a-tat-tat.
All of this only goes to prove that my blog is mostly tomfoolery.
Maybe I should start writing about famous people, instead.
Like Tom…
Hanks, or Cruise, or Jones, or Brokaw, or Selleck, or Hilfiger.
Or maybe just keep to the same old beat of my tom-tom drum.
And. One more thing. Hello to all the GOOD Toms in my life. I love you all.
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“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” – Tommy Lasorda
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“It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.” – Tom Brokaw
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“You can’t get too comfortable in life. You’ve always got to be striving to get better at something.” – Tom Holland
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