ˈton-up, n. and a. slang.
[f. ton1 + up adv.2 12 c.]
A. n. A speed of 100 m.p.h.; a motor-cyclist who achieves this. Also in the sense of ton1 5 a and fig.
| 1961 Daily Tel. 11 Feb. 1/2 The term ‘Ton Up’ is used by young motor-cyclists to indicate doing 100 m.p.h. 1964 New Statesman 21 Feb. 288/3 Many made a point of..assuring me that the ton-ups weren't as black as they thought I'd painted them. 1964 in Hamblett & Deverson Generation X 146 Of course, there were the Tonups (now Rockers) who mustn't be forgotten, but then they have always been an untouchable group on their own, kinkily keen on their bikes. 1972 J. Blackburn For Fear of Little Men xiv. 147 Eighty miles an hour, ninety, a ton-up—as the motorcycle maniacs call a hundred. 1976 J. Snow Cricket Rebel 44 My return read nought for 117. I got a ton-up in my next Test at Headingley as well. 1978 Gramophone Aug. 329/3 The sleeve photograph shows Perényi in action, head, hands and cello blurred as if moving at too great a rate for even the fastest stop on the camera. There is indeed an element of the ‘ton-up’ about his performance. |
B. attrib.
1. a. Applied to young motor-cyclists who enjoy travelling at high speed.
| 1961 Harper's Bazaar May 104/2 Gangs, rebels without a cause and ton-up kids. 1961 Times 1 Sept. 11/1 A reasoned defence, of the ‘throttle-potties’ or ‘ton up boys’ was submitted to the psychology section. 1965 G. McInnes Road to Gundagai xiii. 225 Dad wore leather hip boots and jacket, goggles and a cap with its peak at the rear... The Ton-Up kids on the M1 had nothing on him. 1982 ‘C. Aird’ Last Respects iii. 31 I'm not stupid enough to want that boy Crosby behind the wheel of one of Traffic Division's vehicles... He'd be after a ton-up kid. |
b. fig. Applied to a person who incongruously imitates the dress or behaviour of such people.
| 1964 Economist 13 June 1246/2 The ton-up type of vicar who is trying to be ‘with it’. |
2. Achieving a speed or score of 100 in other contexts.
| 1967 Daily Tel. 17 Feb. 1/4 Plans are being made to cut BEA's Manchester-to-London air service..as a result of big passenger losses to British Railways ‘ton-up’ trains. 1976 Southern Even. Echo (Southampton) 6 Nov. 13/4 After his two records for the number of winners trained in a season on the flat, it is the North Country that has the ton-up trainers of the jumping game. 1977 News of World 17 Apr. 19/1 ‘Ton-up’ Taylor—he landed 100 winners last season for the first time. |