tory

Where does the word "tory" come from? It comes from Irish tóraidhe, and was adopted directly into English (1680s).

Tory’s story begins in Irish: tóraidhe meant “outlaw.” 'pursued man, outlaw', from tóir 'pursuit'; applied to Irish Catholics dispossessed in the Cromwellian conquest who took to banditry. It reached English by 1680s as Tory. In the Exclusion Crisis of 1679-81, opponents mocked supporters of the Catholic James, Duke of York, as 'Tories', Irish bandits; the name stuck to Britain's Conservatives. Today, tory means a member or supporter of the British Conservative Party.

1. Stage 1 · Irish · 1640s tóraidhe "outlaw", 'pursued man, outlaw', from tóir 'pursuit'; applied to Irish Catholics dispossessed in the Cromwellian conquest who took to banditry.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1680s Tory "royalist politician", in the Exclusion Crisis of 1679-81, opponents mocked supporters of the Catholic James, Duke of York, as 'Tories', Irish bandits; the name stuck to Britain's Conservatives.