Tom Tiddler's ground

noun

Tom Tid·​dler's ground

-ˈtidlə(r)z-

variants or less commonly Tommy Tiddler's ground

1

: a game in which a player designated Tom Tiddler or Tommy Tiddler tries to catch the other players who invade the area designated as his property

2

: a place (as a no-man's-land) where pickings may be sought or had without effective interference

this country was a Tom Tiddler's ground of raiding parties

—T. E. Lawrence

the border now became a sort of Tom Tiddler's ground filled with warring Kaffirs

—Stuart Cloete

Word History

Etymology

from Tom Tiddler, Tommy Tiddler, name given to the player who is "it"

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