Definition

1. Noun:
   • A drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat: A "toby" is a type of ceramic mug or jug, traditionally used for drinking beer or ale, that is molded and painted to resemble a portly man, often a coachman or a figure from 18th-century England, wearing a tricorn hat. The hat's brim typically forms the lip of the mug.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The collector displayed a rare 18th-century toby jug on the shelf.
  • He drank his ale from a colorful toby depicting a jolly fisherman.

Advanced Usage

• "Toby jug": This is the most common full term for the item. While "toby" alone can refer to the mug, it is often specified as a "toby jug."
  • The antique shop specialized in Victorian-era toby jugs.

Variants and Related Words

• Toby jug (n): The full and more precise term for this type of figurative drinking vessel.
• Character jug (n): A related, sometimes more modern, type of jug or mug shaped as a character's head, often distinguished from the full-figure "toby."

Synonyms

• Figural mug: A general term for a mug made in the shape of a person or creature.
• Character mug: Similar to a character jug, often used interchangeably in modern contexts.

Related Idioms

• "To be a bit of a toby": (British, informal, archaic) This idiom is very rare and dated. It was sometimes used to describe a person who was foolish or a simpleton, drawing a loose connection to the comical, simple figure of the jug. Its usage is not standard in contemporary English.
  • He's acting like a proper toby today. (Note: This usage is largely obsolete.)

Noun

1. a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat