hop-o'-my-thumb

English

Etymology

From the idea that such a person could hop over somebody's thumb; in common use in the 16th century.

Noun

hop-o'-my-thumb (plural hop-o'-my-thumbs)

1. (colloquial, dated) A very small person or creature.
   • 1830, Uncredited (John Poole), The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal, Part 1: Original Papers, page 81,

     As to changing them for a pack of your little hop-o'-my-thumbs, no bigger than the one you lent me t'other night — !^[sic] suppose I should ask you to let me have the mare you rode to cover o'Thursday — and a clever mare she is, […] .

   • 1837, “Opening of the Theatre-Royal, Little Pedlington”, in Colburn's New Monthly Magazine and Humorist, page 422:

     "In the first place,” answered Hobbleday, somewhat tartly, “I suppose our Daubson, who painted the famous grenadier in Yawkins's skittle-ground, knew very well what he was about: he wasn't going to paint hop-o'-my-thumbs that might be mistaken for drummer-boys. […] "

   • 1995, Joan Aiken, Cold Shoulder Road, published 2010, unnumbered page:

     " […] And who are these little hop-o'-my-thumbs?” as Arun and Is jumped down from the cart.

Usage notes

Notably used (from 1804) to translate the title of the French fairy tale Le Petit Poucet.

See also

• lilliputian
• Thumbelina
• Tom Thumb