What does the nickname for Loyalists in the Revolutianary war, Tories, come from?

BRY2K

The original Tories were a band of Irish Catholic outlaws in Elizabethan times. The word derived from the Irish 'toruigh', from 'toruighim', meaning to raid suddenly. This meaning seems to have converged with the Celtic words 'Taob-righ' ('king's party'), 'tuath-righ' ('partisans of the king') and 'tar-a-ri' ('come O king'). The Tory party first used the name in 1679. They began calling themselves 'Conservatives' in 1832, but the Tory name has continued to stick. http://www.businessballs.com/clichesorigins.htm May 16 08, 6:03 PM

exceller

The term "loyalist" was a nickname for those that were LOYAL to the King, rather than the Revolutionary cause! They were also known as "Tories". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalist_%28American_Revolution%29 May 16 08, 6:04 PM

author

Tory Look up Tory at Dictionary.com 1566, "an outlaw," specifically "a robber," from Ir. toruighe "plunderer," originally "pursuer, searcher," from O.Ir. toirighim "I pursue," related to toracht "pursuit." About 1646, it emerged as a derogatory term for Irish Catholics dispossessed of their land (some of whom subsequently turned to outlawry); c.1680 applied by Exclusioners to supporters of the Catholic Duke of York (later James II) in his succession to the throne of England. After 1689, Tory was the name of a British political party at first composed of Yorkist Tories of 1680. Superseded c.1830 by Conservative, though it continues to be used colloquially. In American history, Tory was the name given after 1769 to colonists who remained loyal to George III of England. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Tory&searchmode=none May 17 08, 7:23 AM