释义 |
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.
1654Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. x. 141 Their Friends and Wives have took them for Tonies or Mad-men. 1699R. L'Estrange Erasm. Colloq. (1711) 148, I saw once an errant Tony, with a Gown to his Heels. a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Tony, a silly Fellow, or Ninny. a1784Johnson 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.
1947N.Y. Times 7 Apr. 40/1 The award already has been dubbed a ‘Tony’, as her associates called Miss Perry. 1948Ibid. 29 Mar. 23/6 John Garfield represented the Experimental Theatre in accepting a ‘Tony’ for ‘experiment in theatre’. 1975Times 10 May 9/3 The Tonys have been awarded, and the 1974/75 New York theatre season is over. 1976Time 27 Dec. 5/3 He later starred in several musicals, including his 1963 Tony Award-winning performance in She Loves Me. |