I've seen this term twice now and have no clue what it means. Google search for definition and Urban Dictionary were no help. Here's one of the sentences I saw it in: New TV show: "The premiere of the drama about a lawyer whose tony lifestyle is threatened by childhood pals seeking his help righting a 25-year-old wrong." So what does it mean? Thanks.
All I'm getting in google results is Tony Abbott saying some disconnected BS. Urban Dicitonary has literally no results which is worrying. I found some references to it also in reference to lawyers on second google try. So maybe it has something to do with lawyers? Although I did use the word "lawyer" in my second search so IDK.
I think it means ritzy, but I can't really give you the etymology or anything. Maybe related to "tone", like the tone of the apartment was modern and expensive.
From the Oxford English Dictionary: Tony Pronunciation: /ˈtəʊni/ adjective (tonier, toniest) North American informal Fashionable among wealthy or stylish people: 'a tony restaurant' Examples: 'There's a fear that the valley may grow from a place where people of modest means can live and work into a tony enclave for wealthy second-home owners.' 'Fried chicken gets the respect it deserves at his tony restaurant.' 'Until recently, mache - also known as lamb's lettuce or corn salad and a longtime staple in France - could be found here mainly in tony restaurants and upscale markets.' ETA: Etymology from Wiktionary here.
Where it says — in the Oxford English Dictionary and Wiktionary. Click the links and you'll see where.
Funny that the OED ascribes it as a North American-ism. I'm North American. I've never heard/seen that word used that way until just now.
Me neither. But I see my mistake now. I thought it was some kind of slang so I looked for 'tony lifestyle' definition when I should have looked up the definition of tony.
I think I've found the explanation as to why this term feels so unfamiliar/foreign to you and me: I mean, there are tons of terms from the turn of the 20th century that were the thing to say at the time, but... I mean.... when was the last time anything was the bee's knees or the cat's meow? Can't remember the last time a shapely pair of legs were referred to as gams or a anyone asked who put the nickel in me. Who's trying to revive that term? Steve Rogers? (See what I did there? Steve Rogers, Tony Stark.)