tom

[ tom ]

/ tɒm /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR tom ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the male of various animals, as the turkey.

a tomcat.

Origin of tom

First recorded in 1755–65; generic use of the male given name Tom

Definition for tom (2 of 10)

Tom

[ tom ]

/ tɒm /

noun

Uncle Tom.

a male given name, form of Thomas.

verb (used without object), Tommed, Tom·ming.

(often lowercase) to act like an Uncle Tom.

Definition for tom (3 of 10)

ToM

or TOM

theory of mind.

Definition for tom (4 of 10)

Adams

[ ad-uh mz ]

/ ˈæd əmz /

noun

Abigail (Smith),1744–1818, U.S. social and political figure (wife of John Adams).

Alice,1926–1999, U.S. writer.

Ansel,1902–84, U.S. photographer.

Brooks,1848–1927, U.S. historian and political scientist (son of Charles Francis Adams and brother of Henry Brooks Adams).

Charles Francis,1807–86, U.S. statesman: minister to Great Britain 1861–68 (son of John Quincy Adams).

Franklin P(ierce)F.P.A., 1881–1960, U.S. author and columnist.

Henry (Brooks),1838–1918, U.S. historian, writer, and teacher (son of Charles Francis Adams).

James Trus·low

[truhs-loh] /ˈtrʌs loʊ/, 1878–1949, U.S. historian.

John,1735–1826, 2nd president of the U.S. 1797–1801: a leader in the American Revolution.

John Michael Geoffrey Man·ning·ham

[man-ing-uh m] /ˈmæn ɪŋ əm/, Tom, 1931–85, Barbadian political leader: prime minister 1976–85.

John Quin·cy

[kwin-zee, -see] /ˈkwɪn zi, -si/, 1767–1848, 6th president of the U.S. 1825–29; secretary of state 1817–25 (son of John Adams).

Lé·o·nie Fuller [ley-oh-nee] /leɪˈoʊ ni/, 1899–1988, U.S. poet.

MaudeMaude Kiskadden, 1872–1953, U.S. actress.

Roger,1889–1971, U.S. chemist.

Samuel,1722–1803, American statesman: a leader in the American Revolution.

Samuel Hopkins,1874–1958, U.S. journalist and novelist.

Walter Sydney,1876–1956, U.S. astronomer.

Mount. a mountain in SW Washington, in the Cascade Range. 12,307 feet (3751 meters).

a mountain in N New Hampshire, in the White Mountains. 5798 feet (1767 meters).

a city in W Massachusetts.

Definition for tom (5 of 10)

Landry

[ lan-dree ]

/ ˈlæn dri /

noun

Thomas WadeTom, 1924–2000, U.S. football player and coach.

Definition for tom (6 of 10)

Mix

[ miks ]

/ mɪks /

noun

Thomas EdwinTom, 1880–1940, U.S. film actor in westerns.

Definition for tom (7 of 10)

Seaver

[ se-ver ]

/ ˈsɛ vər /

noun

(George) ThomasTomTom Terrific, born 1944, U.S. baseball pitcher.

Definition for tom (8 of 10)

Watson

[ wot-suh n ]

/ ˈwɒt sən /

noun

James Dewey,born 1928, U.S. biologist: Nobel Prize in medicine 1962.

JohnIan Maclaren, 1850–1907, Scottish clergyman and novelist.

John Broa·dus

[braw-duh s] /ˈbrɔ dəs/, 1878–1958, U.S. psychologist.

John Christian,1867–1941, Australian statesman, born in Chile: prime minister 1904.

Thomas Augustus,1854–1934, U.S. electrical experimenter, associated with Alexander Graham Bell.

Thomas John,1874–1956, U.S. industrialist.

Thomas Stur·ges

[stur-jis] /ˈstɜr dʒɪs/, Tom, born 1949, U.S. golfer.

Sir William,1858–1935, English poet.

a male given name.

Definition for tom (9 of 10)

Bradley

[ brad-lee ]

/ ˈbræd li /

noun

BillWilliam Warren, born 1943, U.S. basketball player and politician: senator from New Jersey 1979–97.

Francis Herbert,1846–1924, English philosopher.

Henry,1845–1923, English lexicographer and philologist.

Omar Nelson,1893–1981, U.S. general: Chief of Staff 1948–49; chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1949–53.

ThomasTom, 1917–1998, U.S. politician: mayor of Los Angeles 1973–93.

a town in NE Illinois.

a male given name.

Definition for tom (10 of 10)

Clark

[ klahrk ]

/ klɑrk /

noun

Alvan,1804–87, and his son Alvan Graham, 1832–97, U.S. astronomers and telescope-lens manufacturers.

Champ

[champ] /tʃæmp/, James Beauchamp, 1850–1921, U.S. political leader: Speaker of the House 1911–19.

(Charles) JosephJoe, born 1939, Canadian political leader: prime minister 1979–80.

George Rogers,1752–1818, U.S. soldier.

John Bates

[beyts] /beɪts/, 1847–1938, U.S. economist and educator.

Kenneth B(ancroft),1914–2005, U.S. psychologist and educator, born in the Panama Canal Zone.

Sir Kenneth McKenzie, Baron Clark of Salt·wood [sawlt-woo d] /ˈsɔltˌwʊd/, 1903–83, English art historian.

Mark Wayne,1896–1984, U.S. general.

Thomas CampbellTom, 1899–1977, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1949–67.

Walter Van Til·burg

[van til-berg] /væn ˈtɪl bərg/, 1909–71, U.S. author.

William,1770–1838, U.S. soldier and explorer (brother of George R. Clark): on expedition with Meriwether Lewis 1804–06.

a male given name: a surname, ultimately derived from clerk.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tom

Tom Brady, the prettiest of pretty boys, leads the Patriots.
‘A Gronking to Remember’ Speed Read: 8 Naughtiest Bits|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There, many minority parents supported Tom Torklarson, who favored the education reform agenda.
How Public Sector Unions Divide the Democrats|Daniel DiSalvo|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tom Rust, a spokesman for the House Ethics Committee, declined to comment to The Daily Beast.
The Felon Who Wouldn’t Leave Congress|Ben Jacobs, David Freedlander|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Retired Det. Tom Nerney, formerly of the NYPD Major Case Squad, investigated Shakur.
Cuba Protects America’s Most Wanted|Michael Daly|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Tom Cotton credits Harvard as the place where he “discovered political philosophy as a way of life.”
Harvard’s Conservative Cabal Takes Congress|Patricia Murphy|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When he tired of the tumult of the bar-room and a sense of his better self came over him, some one said: "Give us another, Tom."
Wit, Humor, Reason, Rhetoric, Prose, Poetry and Story Woven into Eight Popular Lectures|George W. Bain
Adair then narrated the wonderful way in which he and Tom had been preserved.
The Three Commanders|W.H.G. Kingston
She leaned toward him, and to poor Tom she looked the incarnation of enticing loveliness.
A Book o' Nine Tales.|Arlo Bates
Just outside of this, on a little hill, was Tom Brangwen's big, red-brick house.
The Rainbow|D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence
When Tom asked if he had better come down that evening and call, John was most emphatic in his refusal.
Polly's Business Venture|Lillian Elizabeth Roy

British Dictionary definitions for tom (1 of 8)

tom

/ (tɒm) /

noun

the male of various animals, esp the cat
(as modifier)a tom turkey
(in combination)a tomcat

Word Origin for tom

C16: special use of the shortened form of Thomas, applied to any male, often implying a common or ordinary type of person, etc

British Dictionary definitions for tom (2 of 8)

tom

/ (tɒm) /

noun

Australian and NZ a temporary supporting post

Word Origin for tom

from a specialized use of tom 1

British Dictionary definitions for tom (3 of 8)

Adams

/ (ˈædəmz) /

noun

a mountain in SW Washington, in the Cascade Range. Height: 3751 m (12 307 ft)

British Dictionary definitions for tom (4 of 8)

Adams

/ (ˈædəmz) /

noun

Gerry, full name Gerrard Adams . born 1948, Northern Ireland politician; president of Sinn Féin from 1983: negotiated the Irish Republican Army ceasefires in 1994–96 and 1997; member of the parliament of the Irish Republic from 2011

Henry (Brooks). 1838–1918, US historian and writer. His works include Mont Saint Michel et Chartres (1913) and his autobiography The Education of Henry Adams (1918)

John. 1735–1826, second president of the US (1797–1801); US ambassador to Great Britain (1785–88); helped draft the Declaration of Independence (1776)

John Coolidge. born 1947, US composer; works include the operas Nixon in China (1987) and The Death of Klinghoffer (1991)

John Couch. 1819–92, British astronomer who deduced the existence and position of the planet Neptune

John Quincey. son of John Adams. 1767–1848, sixth president of the US (1825–29); secretary of state (1817–25)

Richard. born 1920, British author; his novels include Watership Down (1972), The Plague Dogs (1977), and Traveller (1988)

Samuel. 1722–1803, US revolutionary leader; one of the organizers of the Boston Tea Party; a signatory of the Declaration of Independence

British Dictionary definitions for tom (5 of 8)

Bradley

/ (ˈbrædlɪ) /

noun

A (ndrew) C (ecil). 1851–1935, English critic; author of Shakespearian Tragedy (1904)

F (rancis) H (erbert). 1846–1924, English idealist philosopher and metaphysical thinker; author of Ethical Studies (1876), Principles of Logic (1883), and Appearance and Reality (1893)

Henry . 1845–1923, English lexicographer; one of the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary

James . 1693–1762, English astronomer, who discovered the aberration of light and the nutation of the earth's axis

British Dictionary definitions for tom (6 of 8)

Clark

/ (klɑːk) /

noun

Helen. born 1950, New Zealand Labour politician; prime minister (1999–2008); administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009

James, known as Jim. 1936–68, Scottish racing driver; World Champion (1963, 1965)

Kenneth, Baron Clark of Saltwood. 1903–83, English art historian: his books include Civilization (1969), which he first presented as a television series

William. 1770–1838, US explorer and frontiersman: best known for his expedition to the Pacific Northwest (1804–06) with Meriwether Lewis

British Dictionary definitions for tom (7 of 8)

Watson

/ (ˈwɒtsən) /

noun

James Dewey. born 1928, US biologist, whose contribution to the discovery of the helical structure of DNA won him a Nobel prize for Physiology or Medicine shared with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins in 1962

John B (roadus). 1878–1958, US psychologist; a leading exponent of behaviourism

John Christian. 1867–1941, Australian statesman, born in Chile: prime minister of Australia (1904)

Russell. born 1973, British tenor; his albums include The Voice (2001) and Encore (2002)

Tom, full name Thomas Sturges Watson. born 1949, US golfer, won eight major titles: the US Masters (1977, 1981), the US Open (1982), and the British Open (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)

British Dictionary definitions for tom (8 of 8)

mix

/ (mɪks) /

verb

(tr) to combine or blend (ingredients, liquids, objects, etc) together into one mass

(intr) to become or have the capacity to become combined, joined, etcsome chemicals do not mix

(tr) to form (something) by combining two or more constituentsto mix cement

(tr; often foll by in or into) to add as an additional part or element (to a mass or compound)to mix flour into a batter

(tr) to do at the same time; combineto mix study and pleasure

(tr) to consume (drinks or foods) in close succession

to come or cause to come into association sociallyPauline has never mixed well

(intr often foll by with) to go together; complement

(tr) to crossbreed (differing strains of plants or breeds of livestock), esp more or less at random

(tr) electronics to combine (two or more signals)

music

(in sound recording) to balance and adjust (the recorded tracks) on a multitrack tape machine
(in live performance) to balance and adjust (the output levels from microphones and pick-ups)

(tr) to merge (two lengths of film) so that the effect is imperceptible

mix it informal

to cause mischief or trouble, often for a person namedshe tried to mix it for John
to fight

noun

the act or an instance of mixing

the result of mixing; mixture

a mixture of ingredients, esp one commercially prepared for making a cake, bread, etc

music the sound obtained by mixing

building trades civil engineering the proportions of cement, sand, and aggregate in mortar, plaster, or concrete

informal a state of confusion, bewilderment

Derived Forms

mixable, adjectivemixability, noun

Word Origin for mix

C15: back formation from mixt mixed, via Old French from Latin mixtus, from miscēre to mix

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

Medicine definitions for tom

Watson

[ wŏt′sən ]

James Dewey Born 1928

American biologist who with Francis Crick proposed a spiral model, the double helix, for the molecular structure of DNA. He shared a 1962 Nobel Prize for advances in the study of genetics.

Science definitions for tom (1 of 2)

Adams

[ ăd′əmz ]

Walter Sydney 1876-1956

American astronomer who demonstrated that the essential brightness of a star could be calculated by studying its spectrum and who introduced a method for measuring the distance of stars based on their brightness. In 1915 he discovered Sirius B, the first known white dwarf star, and his measurement of the gravitational red shift in the light leaving its surface was accepted as evidence for Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity.

Science definitions for tom (2 of 2)

Watson

[ wŏt′sən ]

James Dewey Born 1928

See Note at Rosalind Franklin.

American biologist who, working with Francis Crick, identified the structure of DNA in 1953. By analyzing the patterns cast by x-rays striking DNA molecules, they discovered that DNA has the structure of a double helix, two spirals linked together by bases in ladderlike rungs. For this work Watson and Crick shared with Maurice Wilkins the 1962 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine.

Idioms and Phrases with tom

Tom

see every tom, dick, and harry; peeping tom.