by Gordon
25. November 2009 09:18
Baz has written in asking a question that we've been asked a couple of times before about slang in Only Fools and Horses.
"Could you please tell me what does the 'Toby mean in Cockney rhyming as i heard it said in a Only Fools and Horses episode. Delboy gave Rodney the keys to the van and turn around to Uncle Albert and said Come on Albert we'll take the Toby home." The episode was called from Prussia. I've only ever heard it once. "
"Toby" means "road" in this context, but it isn't rhyming slang. It seems to come from about 1811. It is derived from the language of Irish travellers who use the word "tober" to mean road. Another related expression is the toby meaning highway robbery. High toby meaning highway robbery on horseback. Low toby meaning highway robbery on foot. Ride the toby or ply the toby meaning practice highway robbery. There are many other related expressions centering around highway robbery.
But Delboy we think is simply referring to the road.