Blade Tom
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The Earl of Ormonde, Lord Deputy of Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth; so called from his ungracious ways and "black looks,1*
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Blade Tom” mean?
The Earl of Ormonde, Lord Deputy of Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth; so called from his ungracious ways and "black looks,1*
Is “Blade Tom” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.