Word Study
tom
CIDE DICTIONARY
tom, n.
The knave of trumps at gleek. [1913 Webster]
tom, n.
- A familiar contraction of
Thomas , a proper name of a man. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] - The male of certain animals; -- often used adjectively or in composition; as, tom turkey, tomcat, etc. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
tom, n. a male of various animals, esp. (in full tom-cat) a male cat.
Etymology
abbr. of the name Thomas
THESAURUS
tom
Bantam, Cheshire cat, Chinchilla cat, Maltese cat, alley cat, banty, barn-door fowl, barnyard fowl, biddy, billy, billy goat, blue cat, boar, broiler, brooder, broody hen, bubbly-jock, buck, bull, bullock, calico cat, capon, cat, chanticleer, chick, chickabiddy, chicken, chicky, cock, cockerel, dog, domestic fowl, drake, duck, duckling, dunghill fowl, entire, entire horse, feline, fowl, fryer, game fowl, gander, gib, gib-cat, gobbler, goose, gosling, grimalkin, guinea cock, guinea fowl, guinea hen, hart, he-goat, hen, hen turkey, house cat, kit, kitling, kitten, kitty, kitty-cat, mouser, partlet, peacock, poulard, poult, poultry, pullet, puss, pussy, pussycat, ram, roaster, rooster, setting hen, silver cat, spring chicken, stag, stallion, steer, stewing chicken, stot, stud, studhorse, tabby, tabby cat, tiger cat, tom turkey, tomcat, top cow, top horse, tortoise-shell cat, tup, turkey, turkey gobbler, turkey-cock, wetherFor further exploring for "tom" in Webster Dictionary Online