ilk

of (someone's) ilk

Of the same type, class, or kind as someone. You can bet that, down on the docks, there are a great many men of his ilk loitering about at night.

See also: ilk, of

of that ilk

1. Scottish archaic Of the same territory, estate, or location of that name. (Implies the person is a proprietor or from a land-owning family or lineage.) John Johnstone of that ilk, the last remaining man of that line, died of consumption at an early age.

2. Of that same or a certain type, class, or kind. It really surprises me that they would let men of that ilk into a respectable place like this.

See also: ilk, of, that

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

of that ilk

Of the same kind or class. The word ilk is now rarely used (except in Scotland) other than in this cliché, which is actually a twisting of the original meaning. It comes from the Old English ilca, meaning “the same,” and is correctly used only in referring to a person whose last name is the same as that of his estate; for example, Cawdor of that ilk means “Cawdor of Cawdor.”

See also: ilk, of, that

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer