Tom o' Bedlam
Preserved but no longer current.
A mendicant who levies charity on the plea of insanity. In the 16th and 17th centuries applications for admission to Bedlam (<?.v.) became so numerous that many inmates were dismissed half cured. These "ticket-of-leave men" wandered about chanting mad songs, and dressed in fantastic dresses, to excite pity. Posing as these harmless "innocents," a set of sturdy rogues appeared, called Abram men (q.v.
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 “Tom o' Bedlam” mean?
A mendicant who levies charity on the plea of insanity. In the 16th and 17th centuries applications for admission to Bedlam (<?.v.) became so numerous that many inmates were dismissed half cured. These "ticket-of-leave men" wandered about chanting mad songs, and dressed in fantastic dresses, to excite pity. Posing as these harmless "innocents," a set of sturdy rogues appeared, called Abram men (q.v.
Is “Tom o' Bedlam” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.