3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tory  \To"ry\,  n.;  pl  {Tories}.  [  Properly  used  of  the  Irish 
  bogtrotters  who  robbed  and  plundered  during  the  English  civil 
  wars,  professing  to  be  in  sympathy  with  the  royal  cause 
  hence  transferred  to  those  who  sought  to  maintain  the  extreme 
  prerogatives  of  the  crown;  probably  from  Ir  toiridhe  tor,  a 
  pursuer;  akin  to  Ir  &  Gael.  toir  a  pursuit.] 
  1.  (Eng.Politics)  A  member  of  the  conservative  party,  as 
  opposed  to  the  progressive  party  which  was  formerly  called 
  the  Whig,  and  is  now  called  the  Liberal,  party;  an  earnest 
  supporter  of  exsisting  royal  and  ecclesiastical  authority. 
 
  Note:  The  word  Tory  first  occurs  in  English  history  in  1679, 
  during  the  struggle  in  Parliament  occasioned  by  the 
  introduction  of  the  bill  for  the  exclusion  of  the  duke 
  of  York  from  the  line  of  succession,  and  was  applied  by 
  the  advocates  of  the  bill  to  its  opponents  as  a  title 
  of  obloquy  or  contempt.  The  Tories  subsequently  took  a 
  broader  ground,  and  their  leading  principle  became  the 
  maintenance  of  things  as  they  were  The  name  however, 
  has  for  several  years  ceased  to  designate  an  existing 
  party,  but  is  rather  applied  to  certain  traditional 
  maxims  of  public  policy.  The  political  successors  of 
  the  Tories  are  now  commonly  known  as  Conservatives. 
  --New  Am  Cyc. 
 
  2.  (Amer.  Hist.)  One  who  in  the  time  of  the  Revolution, 
  favored  submitting  tothe  claims  of  Great  Britain  against 
  the  colonies;  an  adherent  tothe  crown. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tory  \To"ry\,  a. 
  Of  ro  pertaining  to  the  Tories. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Tory 
  n  1:  an  American  who  favored  the  British  side  during  the  American 
  Revolution  [syn:  {Tory}] 
  2:  a  supporter  of  traditional  political  and  social  institutions 
  against  the  forces  of  reform;  a  political  conservative 
  [syn:  {Tory}] 

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