Dick, Tom and Harry

[victor steinbok]

Under Cheney 2.

 2. In some passages it is associated with Philip and Cheny (also Philip,
> Hob, and Cheny): a phrase found from 16th c. in the sense of ‘Dick, Tom, and
> Harry’; see Philip n.


 Under Philip n. Phrases:

 1. Philip and Cheyney (also Philip, Hob, and Cheyney): see Philip and
> Cheyney n., Philip, Hob, and Cheyney n.



 For Philip and Cheney:

 1. Ordinary people, taken at random; = Tom, Dick, and (or or) Harry at Tom
> n.1 1a.
>  2. A kind of worsted or woollen cloth of ordinary quality. Cf. cheyney n.


Finally, for Philip, Hob and Cheney:

  = Philip and Cheyney n. Cf. Tom, Dick, and (or or) Harry at Tom n.1 1a.



Does that mean that there is an entry for "Tom, Dick, and Harry"? No!

1. a. A familiar shortening of the Christian name Thomas; often a generic
> name for any male representative of the common people; esp. in Tom and Tib
> (cf. Jack and Gill at gill n.4 2a); Tom, Dick, and (or or) Harry , any men
> taken at random from the common run; Blind Tom, blind-man's-buff.



[That's the same Tom n.1 that has Uncle Tom under 1.f.]

Dick n.1. 1.a. also redirects to Tom n.1 1.a.:

 1. a. A familiar pet-form of the common Christian name Richard. Hence
> generically (like Jack) = fellow, lad, man, especially with alliterating
> adjectives, as desperate, dainty, dapper, dirty. Tom, Dick and Harry: any
> three (or more) representatives of the populace taken at random; see also
> Tom, Dick, and (or or) Harry at Tom n.1 1a; clever Dick: a clever or smart
> person; usu. ironical: a ‘know-all’; also attrib.



Why not just have a separate Tom, Dick and Harry entry and a Dick, Tom and
Harry one with redirect to Tom, Dick and Harry? A "familiar shortening of
Thomas" and a "familiar pet-form of Richard" simply don't explain what
"every Tom, Dick and Harry" means. And it's not merely "any men taken at
random", but rather "ordinary people", "anyone". It's not about being
random, but rather about being ubiquitous.

VS-)

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