noun
Tory
TAW-ree
noun
1
A member or supporter of Britain's Conservative Party.
"The local Tory candidate lost the seat by a narrow margin."
2
Someone with politically conservative views, especially in the British tradition.
"His grandfather was a lifelong Tory, sceptical of any government spending."
adj
1
Relating to or belonging to the Conservative Party.
"The newspaper published a strongly Tory editorial."
How to Use Tory
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA supporter of the British (or Canadian) Conservative Party, or more broadly, a political conservative.
When to use it
Mostly a UK and Canadian political term; capitalised when referring to the party itself.
Word Forms
Tories plural
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The local _____ candidate lost the seat by a narrow margin.
Etymology
From Irish tóraí, "pursuer" or "outlaw," originally used as an insult for Irish bandits before becoming, from the 1680s, the name of the British political faction that evolved into the Conservative Party.