different between toadeater vs toady

English

Etymology

toad +? eater, said to allude to an old alleged practice among mountebanks, who would hire a boy to eat (or pretend to eat) toads, which many had considered poisonous. The toadeater (or "toady") would writhe in pain, until the quack gave him some "medicine", and then try to impress upon the crowd that the boy was cured. Compare toady.

Alternative forms

toad-eater, toad eater

Noun

toadeater (plural toadeaters)

1. A fawning, obsequious parasite; a mean sycophant or flatterer.
   • 1819, J. Wilson, Complete Dictionary of Astrology "Horary Questions", Of Theft.

     a chaplain, tutor, toadeater, or some superior servant

   • 1843-44 Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit (chapter 24)

     You're too zealous a toadeater, and betray yourself.

References

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?t??di/
• Rhymes: -??di

Etymology 1

From a shortening of toadeater +? -y.

Noun

toady (plural toadies)

1. A sycophant who flatters others to gain personal advantage, or an obsequious lackey or minion.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:sycophant
2. (archaic) A coarse, rustic woman.

Derived terms

• toadyish

Translations

Verb

toady (third-person singular simple present toadies, present participle toadying, simple past and past participle toadied)

1. (intransitive, construed with to) To behave like a toady (to someone).

Etymology 2

toad +? -y

Adjective

toady (comparative more toady, superlative most toady)

1. toadlike
   • 1874, Transactions (issue 19, page 141)

     The bath is of greatest advantage in these chronic cases, with an earthy complexion and toady skin, if I am allowed thus to express its appearance.

Anagrams

• to-day, today