Tory

[ tawr-ee, tohr-ee ]

/ ˈtɔr i, ˈtoʊr i /

Save This Word!

noun, plural To·ries, for 1-5.

a member of the Conservative Party in Great Britain or Canada.

a member of a political party in Great Britain from the late 17th century to about 1832 that favored royal authority over Parliament and the preservation of the existing social and political order: succeeded by the Conservative party.

(often lowercase) an advocate of conservative principles; one opposed to reform or radicalism.

a person who supported the British cause in the American Revolution; a loyalist.

(in the 17th century) a dispossessed Irishman who resorted to banditry, especially after the invasion of Oliver Cromwell and suppression of the royalist cause (1649–52).

a male or female given name.

adjective

of, belonging to, or characteristic of the Tories.

being a Tory.

(sometimes lowercase) opposed to reform or radicalism; conservative.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar Coach

Improve Your Writing

Origin of Tory

1640–50; <Irish *tóraighe outlaw, bandit, derivative of tóir chase, pursuit

Definition for Tory (2 of 3)

-tory¹

a suffix occurring in loanwords from Latin, originally adjectival derivatives of agent nouns ending in -tor (predatory); also forming adjectival derivatives directly from verbs (obligatory; transitory).

Origin of -tory

<Latin -tōrius, equivalent to -tōr--tor + -ius adj. suffix

Definition for Tory (3 of 3)

-tory²

a suffix occurring in loanwords from Latin, usually derivatives from agent nouns ending in -tor or directly from verbs, denoting a place or object appropriate for the activity of the verb: dormitory; repository.

Origin of -tory

<Latin -tōrium, noun use of neuter of -tōrius-tory¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for Tory

Newmark was approached online by “Sophie Wittams,” a blond, flirty, “twentysomething Tory PR girl.”
U.K. Tabloid Absurdly Claims ‘Public Interest’ Served in Politician’s Sex Sting|Lizzie Crocker|September 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The map is mostly blue for Tory, after the last national election, when the Conservatives gained.
An Independent Scotland Will Hurt Labour|Michael Tomasky|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Of the 59 MPs elected to represent Scotland in the current U.K. Parliament, only one is a Tory.
Anarchy for the U.K.? British Leaders Panicking Over Scottish Vote for Independence|Nico Hines|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“A Tory minister stepped out of the shadows to confront me,” Danczuk wrote in The Guardian.
Alleged U.K. Parliamentary Pedophile Ring Hushed Up for Decades|Nico Hines|July 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Sniffing Tory conspiracies under every Whitehall bed, ours specially?
Iran’s Top Spy Is the Modern-Day Karla, John Le Carré’s Villainous Mastermind|Michael Weiss|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Well, 'Utchinson done very well; it's a strong Tory seat, is Croydon.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 109, July 27, 1895|Various
The Tory gentry, who were powerful in all the counties, had special grievances.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
At last some ingenious Tory thought of a device by which it might be possible to strike the enemy without wounding friends.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
I defend civilisation for the thing it is, for the thing it has come to be, the standpoint of a real old Tory.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson
It's a fact that the Tory total figures out much larger than the Liberal Unionist.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 108, April 6, 1895|Various

British Dictionary definitions for Tory

Tory

/ (ˈtɔːrɪ) /

noun plural -ries

a member or supporter of the Conservative Party in Great Britain or Canada

a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s

an American supporter of the British cause; loyalistCompare Whig

(sometimes not capital) an ultraconservative or reactionary

(in the 17th century) an Irish Roman Catholic, esp an outlaw who preyed upon English settlers

adjective

of, characteristic of, or relating to Tories

(sometimes not capital) ultraconservative or reactionary

Derived forms of Tory

Toryish, adjectiveToryism, noun

Word Origin for Tory

C17: from Irish tōraidhe outlaw, from Middle Irish tōir pursuit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

Tory

noun, plural To·ries, for 1-5.

adjective

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Meet Grammar Coach

Meet Grammar Coach

Origin of Tory

Definition for Tory (2 of 3)

Origin of -tory

Definition for Tory (3 of 3)

Origin of -tory

Example sentences from the Web for Tory

British Dictionary definitions for Tory

noun plural -ries

adjective

Derived forms of Tory

Word Origin for Tory