tomato can

English

Etymology

Presumably because of tendency to bleed when battered, tomato juice leaking from a can being a metaphor for bleeding.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

tomato can (plural tomato cans)

1. (slang, boxing, derogatory) An inferior fighter in the sport of boxing. The insinuation is that an up-and-coming fighter takes on a "tomato can" to burnish his reputation and record.
2. (slang, sports) By extension, an opponent who presents little challenge.
3. (slang, boxing) A boxer who takes a dive, or loses a fight on purpose.

See also

• glass jaw
• jabroni
• jobber
• palooka
• take a dive