Doubting Thomas

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hello,
[color=blue] “Is he a doubting Thomas?”

The sentence above is every easy to understand, but I wonder if there is any story concerning Thomas? Why not say ,[color=blue] “Is he a doubting Tom?”? :stuck_out_tongue:

Thanks
F.F

2

Hi FangFang

There’s a religious background to this expression:
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/doubting_Thomas

Amy

3

Hi FF
Additional expressions for characterising a person:

" Nosy Parker,smart alec, butter-fingers, wet blanket, a hanger-on" :lol: :wink:

4

.
And Tom (not Thomas) is used in the expression “peeping Tom”. :wink:

5

Since we’re at it, here are a few more:

lazy Susan
spinning Jenny
Jack-of-all-trades
Jolly Roger
Tom, Dick and Harry
teddy boy
Hooray Henry
silly billy
Joe Bloggs
Old Nick
John Doe
John Bull
John Hancock
Dear John
Joe Public
right charlie
Handy Andy (?)

6

Also,

Tommy (Tommy Atkins)
Jerry - for German soldiers (WW II)
(Victor) Charlie - Vietnam
Ivan - Russians :slight_smile:

7

The forum’s automatic censoring has really done a number on that expression! :shock:

Let’s see if the software can be outsmarted: 8)


T o m, D i c k and H a r r y

:mrgreen:

8

:slight_smile: (giggling) Aren’t we the clever ones?

Mr Green always reminds me of the Spanish ‘viejo verde’, ‘dirty old man’ (lit. green old man)!