Colin Tampon
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The old nickname of a Swiss, as John Bull is of an Englishman, Brother Jonathan of a North American, and Monsieur Crapaud of a Frenchman.
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 “Colin Tampon” mean?
The old nickname of a Swiss, as John Bull is of an Englishman, Brother Jonathan of a North American, and Monsieur Crapaud of a Frenchman.
Is “Colin Tampon” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.