Wednesday 19 September 2018

Tod

To be on your tod means to be alone. If you're British, the chances are you knew that – but did you know the phrase originated as Cockney rhyming slang? The Tod in question was a jockey called Tod Sloan. Whether he was most often alone at the front or the back of the field, I can't tell you.

Alternatives are on your pat (Pat Malone) and on your Jack (Jack Jones). Who Pat and Jack were is something else I can't tell you. Maybe that's something you can tell me?

Here's me apparently on my tod in Rhodes.

3 comments:

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

I'm Toddly independent.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Patsy - I've a friend in South Africa whose surname is Tod - it is certainly unusual ... and wandering on one's tod is fine - though I'd prefer to do it in Rhodes - an amazing place ... cheers Hilary

Bubble said...

Or possibley Sloan rhymes with alone/on his own?