Why are they called Toms
2006-10-14 21:39:49 · 6 answers · asked by ianforty3 3 in Social Science ➔ Gender Studies
Tom" meaning a prostitute is a slang term used in London UK
Another theory revolves round "tom" being an abbreviation of "tomboy", which used to carry a pejorative meaning of a bold or immodest woman, in contrast to today's sense of simply "boyish or boisterous girl".
Here are some relevant entries in Slang and Euphamism, A Dictionary, by Richard A. Spears, Signet Books, 1991:
Tom: a prostitute
Tomato: a prostitute (U.S. underworld, early 1900s)
Tomboy: a rude and sexually uncontrolled girl; a strumpet (Primarily British, 1500s - 1800s)
Tomrig: a girl or woman, especially one who is sexually loose (colloquial, early 1700s - 1900s)
Tom Tart: a sexually loose woman. Rhyming slang for "tart"
2006-10-14 21:50:26 · answer #1 · answered by jt1isme 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
in the US a prostitute's client is called a john.
A Tom in the US is a black person trying to be white.
2006-10-17 08:49:41 · answer #2 · answered by King Midas 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Never heard the term "Toms" in relation to prostitution...
I know the clients of prostitutes are called "Johns" in the USA...
2006-10-15 04:58:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
the people who pay for the prostitutes services are called JOHNS
2006-10-16 11:29:00 · answer #4 · answered by fifi 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
maybe because they give people the tom on for cash,
it is the oldest proffesion in the world and it wil survive longer than all other types of bussiness,
i fail to see the attraction personaly but there is some weird people out there you know.
thanks
2006-10-14 22:14:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
they are called tricks..and the guys or wormen who buy them are johns not toms
2006-10-14 21:43:09 · answer #6 · answered by DOMINATUS 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋