English
Etymology
Contraction of Saint Anthony's pig in honour of St Anthony, patron saint of swineherds, frequently shown with a little pig by his side.
Noun
tantony pig
- 1811 The favourite or smallest pig in the litter. (1811 Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue)
#*1838, Benjamin Webster, Acting National Drama
#*:I'm not going to tankety-tankety after his tail, like a Tantony pig any more.
#*1984, Richard Fitzneale, Dialogus De Scaccario: The Course of the Exchequer and Constitutio Domus Regis (the Establishment of the Royal Household)
#*:This system (which had the disadvantage of discouraging good farming, since the worst animal � the 'Tantony pig' � counted for as much as the best) was only applicable when the court was in constant progress.
#*2002, Murray J Levith, Shakespeare's Merchant and Marlowe's Other Play in The Merchant of Venice: Critical Essays, ed John Mahon, Ellen MacLeod? Mahon
#*:A �Tantony pig� is the smallest of a litter, a detail that might recall Antonio's description of himself in Shakespeare's play as the �tainted wether of the flock".
Synonyms
Anthony pig
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