Tom Swifty

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English

Examples
  • "We just struck oil!" Tom gushed.
  • "I'll have a martini," said Tom drily.
  • "I'd like my money back, and then some," said Tom with interest.

Alternative forms

Etymology

Referring to the Tom Swift series of books, whose authors frequently avoided the word "said" in favour of other constructions, +‎ -y.

Noun

Tom Swifty (plural Tom Swifties)

  1. A humorous phrase in which a supposed quotation is linked by a pun to the manner in which it is attributed.
    • 2008, Ben Yagoda, When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It, Crown, →ISBN, page 50:
      Since then the Tom Swifty has trudged on, not exactly swiftly but with an impressive staying power. You can find Web sites that list as many as nine hundred of them. As the above examples suggest, Tom Swifties are virtually never funny, but they illustrate an adverb-centered sin against writing.

See also

Further reading

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