ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tory

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈtɔɹi// to·ry Archaic Vulgar

n. a member or supporter of the Conservative Party in the UK or Canada. It is a common name used in news and politics, though some people use it as an insult.

n. a member or supporter of the British Conservative Party or its historical predecessors; also applied to the Conservative Party of Canada. While originally a neutral historical label, it can carry a pejorative tone depending on the speaker's political alignment.


SIMPLE

The local Tory candidate is visiting our street today.

CONTEXTUAL

The newspaper predicted a landslide victory for the Tory party in the upcoming general election.

COMPLEX

Political analysts often distinguish between the traditional high Tory values of the rural gentry and the more modern, market-driven ideologies of the urban wing.

Etymology 1

From Irish tóraí (“pursuer”), from tóir (“pursuit”). The first recorded use in English is from a 1646 letter by James Butler, Earl of Ormond, to a Colonel O'Brien, describing bandits and thieves on main roadways.

Etymology 2

Short for Victoria when used as a female name, and for Victor or Salvatore when used as a male name.

Usage

Commonly used as a collective noun in the plural ('the Tories') to refer to the party as a whole.

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