Tony, n.1
(ˈtəʊnɪ)
Also 8 toney.
[In sense 1, a particular application of Tony, used as short for Antony. In sense 2, the nickname of Antoinette Perry (1888–1946), U.S. actress, manager, and producer, arbitrarily used.]
† 1. A foolish person; a simpleton. Obs. slang.
For possible origin, cf. Middleton Changeling (1623) i. ii.
| 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. x. 141 Their Friends and Wives have took them for Tonies or Mad-men. 1699 R. L'Estrange Erasm. Colloq. (1711) 148, I saw once an errant Tony, with a Gown to his Heels. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Tony, a silly Fellow, or Ninny. a 1784 Johnson in Piozzi Anecd. (1786) 195 Teaching such tonies is like setting a lady's diamonds in lead. |
2. One of the medallions that have been awarded annually since 1947 by the American Theatre Wing (New York) for excellence in some aspect of the theatre. Freq. in Tony award.
| 1947 N.Y. Times 7 Apr. 40/1 The award already has been dubbed a ‘Tony’, as her associates called Miss Perry. 1948 Ibid. 29 Mar. 23/6 John Garfield represented the Experimental Theatre in accepting a ‘Tony’ for ‘experiment in theatre’. 1975 Times 10 May 9/3 The Tonys have been awarded, and the 1974/75 New York theatre season is over. 1976 Time 27 Dec. 5/3 He later starred in several musicals, including his 1963 Tony Award-winning performance in She Loves Me. |