tommy dodd n.1
1. in coin-tossing, the ‘odd man’ who goes out.
[ | 🎵 ‘Heads or Tails are Sure to Win, Tommy Dodd, Tommy Dodd’]. | |
, , | Sl. Dict. 259: Tommy Dodd in tossing when the odd man goes out. A phrase in frequent use at the London Music Halls. Origin not known. | |
Oxford Jrnl 12 Dec. 6/6: Although you two may both go out, / I’ll not be ‘Tommy Dodd’. | ||
Tuapeka Times (Otago) 16 Sept. 4: Heads or tails, I’m bound to win, Tommy Dodd, Tommy Dodd / Hurrah! for Tommy Dodd. | ||
Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 11: Tommy Dodd - In tossing, odd man either wins or loses, as per agreement. London phrase. | ||
Sl. and Its Analogues. | ||
Advertiser (Adelaide) 6 June 23/3: ‘So I’m Tommy Dodd and Oddsman-out,’ observed Neuson coolly, bending over Pepper and searching his pockets. |
2. (also timmy dodd) the game of coin-tossing itself; thus go/play at Tommy Dodd, Tommy Dod, to play at coin-tossing.
Sportsman 13 Aug. 2/1: Notes on News [...] A game of legal ‘Tommy Dodd’ or ‘odd man out’ when gaol may result less of a prisoner’s guilt than of matter of chance. | ||
Man about Town 18 Sept. 13/3: I’ll go that pusson — Tommy Dodd — / Four four of old Jamaiky. | ||
Man about Town 11 Dec. 107/1: No more shall honest men be sent to quod, / But only those who play at Tommy Dodd. | ||
Bendigo Advertiser (Vic.) 7 Oct. 2/5: A certain ex-member of Parliament, with a gentleman holding Her Majesty’s commission of the peace, and a capitalist meeting, were indulging themselves in ‘Tommy Dodd’ for sovereigns. | ||
S. Aus., Advertiser (Adelaide) 29 Apr. 3/4: The game is called ‘Tommy Dodd’ - throwing dice, half the stakes going to the host, who does better in that way than in selling nobbler. | ||
Edinburgh Eve. News 3 Mar. 4/5: It was the custom in public houses when a party wished to treat another to go ‘Tommy Dodd’ to see which should pay. | ||
Bristol Magpie 27 July 6/2: The agreement [...] was, that after ‘Tommy Dod-’ing, who should have choice of side and first ‘go’, they were to take up positions. | ||
Bristol Magpie 10 Aug.5/1: [I]t is very proper for them [...] to frown [...] at the urchins brought before them for indulging in the seductive game of ‘pitch and toss,’ [but they] understand the mysteries of ‘Tommy Dod’ as well as most citizens. | ||
Music Hall & Theatre Rev. 16 Aug. 10/1: [T]hey did me for three drinks. How was that ? Tommy Dodding with a double headed penny. | ||
Aus. Sl. Dict. 87: Tommy Dodd, a game in tossing where the odd man wins and loses. | ||
Sheffield Eve. Teleg. 1 Jan. 2/7: The prosecutor [who] did a little betting [...] accompanied him to the South-Western Hotel [and] played at ‘Timmy Dodd’. | ||
🎵 When 'e's up at Covent Garden / You can see ’im standin’ all alone / Won’t join in a quiet Tommy Dodd. | [perf. Gus Elen] ‘’e don’t know where ’e are’||
Gold Bat [ebook] Finally, on the suggestion of Otway, who had reduced tossing to a fine art, a mystic game of Tommy Dodd was played. | ||
Dungog Chron. (NSW) 13 Aug. 5/3: Meggs suggested that they should ‘Tommy Dodd’ or toss for the railway fares. |
3. the winner or loser in coin-tossing, the choice for the name allotted by previous agreement.
Sportsman 14 Mar. 2/1: Notes on News [...] Would not ‘The Tommy Dodds, or Odd Men Out Club’ be a better title? | ||
Sl. and Its Analogues. |
4. (Aus.) a damaged or worn coin (usu. silver) that no longer serves as legal currency.
Newcastle Chron. (NSW) 23 Apr. 3/1: Just at present there is a great deal of defaced coin in Maitland. It is genuine enough but banks and tradespeople show great reluctance to accept it [...] This kind of money has been named here ‘Tommy Dodd’ [...] It is difficult to account for so quaint a name [...] with regard to silver coinage. | ||
Brisbane Courier (Qld) 2 Dec. 2/7: Now, if everybody would make a practice of only giving ‘Tommy Dodds’ at these [church] collections, [...] [t]he worn and doefaced silver coinage would soon be withdrawn from circulation. | ||
Tasmanian (Launceston, Tas.) 1 July 11/1: Tommy Dodd' sovereigns in circulation in Victoria and in New South Wales. Bite ’em — ’tis a sovereign test. | ||
Truth (Sydney) 10 May 3/2: I once gave three sixpences in change for a shilling myself, the fact that two of them were ‘Tommy Dodds’ having no bearing on the case whatever. | ||
Dubbo Dispatch (NSW) 3 July 3/5: Bankers [...] don't buy more silver coin than they can help and they are not nearly so careful as they might be to retire the ‘Tommy Dodds’ which have been worn smooth. |
5. (Aus.) in pl., the odds.
Truth (Sydney) 30 Mar. 11/5: Sir I may tell you, / Talking on those werry odds / Of the story of a Duchess / Took down on the Tommy Dodds. |