TORY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

• TORY (noun)
  The noun TORY has 3 senses:

1. an American who favored the British side during the American Revolution

2. a member of political party in Great Britain that has been known as the Conservative Party since 1832; was the opposition party to the Whigs

3. a supporter of traditional political and social institutions against the forces of reform; a political conservative

  Familiarity information: TORY used as a noun is uncommon.

• TORY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An American who favored the British side during the American Revolution

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("Tory" is a kind of...):

American (a native or inhabitant of the United States)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A member of political party in Great Britain that has been known as the Conservative Party since 1832; was the opposition party to the Whigs

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("Tory" is a kind of...):

Englishman (a man who is a native or inhabitant of England)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A supporter of traditional political and social institutions against the forces of reform; a political conservative

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("Tory" is a kind of...):

right-winger; rightist (a member of a right wing political party)

 Context examples 

“We are the people of England!” cried young Master Ovington, the son of the Tory Squire.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But I confess, that, after I had been a little too copious in talking of my own beloved country, of our trade and wars by sea and land, of our schisms in religion, and parties in the state; the prejudices of his education prevailed so far, that he could not forbear taking me up in his right hand, and stroking me gently with the other, after a hearty fit of laughing, asked me, whether I was a whig or tory?

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I’ve run down from Chertsey, sir, just to shake you by the hand, and to make sure that the Tories have not carried you off.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But as a man, and the Squire of Rougham Grange, I’m right glad to see you, Ned, and here’s my hand on it, and never will I believe that a good Tory like yourself, and a man who could show his horse’s tail to any field in the whole Down county, would ever be capable of so vile an act.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)