# "Tom-Foolery", huh?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-foolery-huh/88184
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 18, 2001, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-foolery-huh/88184 "2001-10-18T09:30:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2001, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-foolery-huh/88184/1 "2001-10-18T09:30:02Z")

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Why not “Bob, Jim, or Gene-Foolery”?

All right, phraseologists: Was it some guy named Tom who was a fool back in medieval times, or what?

Thanks

Quasi

PS: Not one hundred per cent sure if it’s supposed to be hyphenated.

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### Author: ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2001, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-foolery-huh/88184/2 "2001-10-18T11:32:23Z")

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> **[Penguin Random House](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com?date=19981207)**
>
> Committed to publishing great books, connecting readers and authors globally, and spreading the love of reading.

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### Author: ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2001, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-foolery-huh/88184/3 "2001-10-18T17:50:20Z")

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_Tomfoolery_ also serves as rhyming slang for jewellery (origin UK 1930’s) and in this context is often shortened to _tom_.