on one's tod

English

Etymology

Rhyming slang: tod = Tod Sloan = own, a reference to the US jockey Tod Sloan. Various theories exist to explain a connection between Tod Sloan and solitude: that he died alone in impoverished circumstances, that he pursued his career "alone" on his own terms, or that he won races from the front, riding alone.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Prepositional phrase

on one's tod

1. (idiomatic, chiefly Northern England) On one's own, alone.

Synonyms

• on one's own
• on one's bill
• on one's Jack Jones

Further reading

• “on your tod” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.