parker’s
(Geo.) Life’s Painter of Variegated Characters, with a Dictionary of Cant Language and Flash Songs, to which is added a Dissertation on Freemasonry, portrait, 8vo. 1789.
English · UK & Ireland 1152
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
parney
Rain; "dowry of PARNEY," a quantity of rain. Anglo-Indian slang from the Hindoo, PANI, water; Gipsy, PANE. Old Indian officers always call brandy-and-water "brandy PAWNEE."
parson
A guide post, hand or finger post by the road side for directing travellers: compared to a parson, because, like him, it sets people in the right way. See GUIDE POST. He that would have luck in horse-flesh, must kiss a parson's wife.
parson
A signpost. Common term in the north, where they say that the PARSON points, but does not lead. This is given, as the lawyers say, "without prejudice."
parson palmer
A jocular name, or term of reproach, to one who stops the circulation of the glass by preaching over his liquor; as it is said was done by a parson of that name whose cellar was under his pulpit.
parson’s nose
The hind part of a goose—a savoury mouthful. Sometimes called the POPE’S NOSE.
part
To pay, restore, or give up; "he’s a right un, he is; I know’d he’d PART," i.e., he is a liberal (or punctual) person, and pays his debts, or bestows gratuities. The term is in general use in sporting circles, and is very commonly employed when speaking of the settlement of bets after a race. It is probably derived from the very common reference to stingy people, who are described as not liking to PART with their money.
parter
A free, liberal person. Sometimes called a "good PARTER." Any one who looks twice at his money, or who doesn’t pay it at all, is called a "bad PARTER."
partial
Inclining more to one side than the other, crooked, all o' one hugh.
party
A person—term in very general use, similar in application to the German pronoun, MAN, a person, people; "where’s the PARTY as ’ad a’ orter be lookin’ after this ’ere ’oss?" policeman’s inquiry of the wrong cabman; "old PARTY," an elderly person.
pash
To strike; now corrupted to BASH, which see.—Shakspeare.
pass bank
The place for playing at passage, cut into the ground almost like a cock-pit. Also the stock or fund.
passage
A camp game with three dice: doublets, making up ten or more, to pass or win; any other chances lose.
paste
To beat, to thrash vigorously.
paste-horn
The nose. Shoemakers nickname any shopmate with a large nose "old PASTE-HORN," from the shape of the horn in which they keep their paste.
pasteboard
A visiting card; "to PASTEBOARD a person," to drop a card at an absent person’s house.
pat
Apposite, or to the purpose.
patch
This old English term of reproach, long obsolete in polite language, may yet occasionally be heard in sentences like these:—"Why, he’s not a PATCH upon him," i.e., he is not to be compared with him; "one’s not a PATCH on the other," &c. Shakspeare uses the word in the sense of a paltry fellow:—
pate
The head. Carroty-pated; red-haired.
patent coats
The first coat, with the pockets inside the skirt, were so termed.
patter
To talk. PATTER FLASH, to speak the language of thieves, talk cant.
patteran
A gipsy trail, made by throwing down a handful of grass occasionally, especially where they have turned off from the main road.
patterer
One of a race now nearly defunct, who cried last dying speeches, &c., in the streets. The term is also applied to those who help off their wares by long harangues in the public thoroughfares. These men, to use their own term, "are the aristocracy of the street sellers," and despise the costermongers for their ignorance, boasting that they live by their intellect, which, as they do not live wonderfully well, is no particularly wise boast.
pattering
The maundering or pert replies of servants; also talk or palaver in order to amuse one intended to be cheated. Pattering of prayers; the confused sound of a number of persons praying together.
pattern
A common vulgar phrase for "patent."
paul pry
An inquisitive person. From the well-known comedy.
paunch
The belly. Some think paunch was the original name of that facetious prince of puppets, now called Mr. Punch, as he is always represented with a very prominent belly: though the common opinion is, that both the name and character were taken from a celebrated Italian comedian, called Polichenello.
paw
A hand or foot; look at his dirty paws. Fore paw; the hand. Hind paw; the foot. To paw; to touch or handle clumsily.
paw
The hand. PAW-CASES, gloves. Boots are in some parts of Ireland called "gloves for the feet."
paw paw tricks
Naughty tricks: an expression used by nurses, &c. to children.
pay
To beat a person, or "serve him out." Originally a nautical term, meaning to stop the seams of a vessel with pitch (French, POIX); "here’s the d‑‑‑‑l to PAY, and no pitch hot," said when any catastrophe occurs which there is no means of averting; "to PAY over face and eyes, as the cat did the monkey;" "to PAY through the nose," to give a ridiculous price,—an expressive phrase of which no one seems to know the origin. Shakspeare uses PAY in the sense of to beat or thrash.
pay-away
"go on with your story, or discourse." From the nautical phrase PAY-AWAY, meaning to allow a rope to run out of a vessel. When the hearer considers the story quite long enough, he, carrying out the same metaphor, exclaims "hold on."
peach
An informer against omnibus conductors and drivers, one especially hired by the proprietors to count passengers and stoppages. The term is in frequent use amongst omnibus-men. This is about the only instance known of the verb being used as a substantive.
peacock horse
Amongst undertakers, is one with a showy tail and mane, which holds its head up well. PEACOCKY refers to an objectionable high action among racehorses.
peaking
Remnants of cloth. Term amongst drapers and cloth warehousemen.
peal
To ring a peal in a man's ears; to scold at him: his wife rang him such a peal!
pear making
Taking bounties from several regiments and immediately deserting. The cove was fined in the steel for pear making; the fellow was imprisoned in the house of correction for taking bounties from different regiments.
pec
A term used by the Eton boys for money, an abbreviation, of course, of the Latin PECUNIA.
peccavi
To cry peccavi; to acknowledge one's self in an error, to own a fault: from the Latin PECCAVI, I have sinned.
peck
Victuals. Peck and booze; victuals and drink.
peck
Food; "PECK and boose," meat and drink.—Lincolnshire. Ancient Cant, PEK, meat.
pecker
"keep your PECKER up," i.e., don’t get down in the mouth,—literally, keep your beak or head well up, "never say die!"
peckham
A facetious usage of the name of this district, implying a dinner; "all holiday at PECKHAM," i.e., nothing to eat.
peckish
Hungry. Old Cant, PECKIDGE, meat.
pedlar's french
The cant language. Pedlar's pony; a walking-stick.
peel
To strip, or disrobe.—Sporting.
peeler
A policeman; so called from Sir Robert Peel (see BOBBY); properly applied to the Irish Constabulary rather than the Metropolitan Police, the former force having been established by Sir Robert Peel.
peeper
A spying glass; also a looking-glass. Track up the dancers, and pike with the peeper; whip up stairs, and run off with the looking-glass. CANT.
peepers
Eyes. Single peeper, a one-eyed man.
peepers
Eyes; "painted PEEPERS," eyes bruised or blackened from a blow.—Pugilistic.
peeping tom
A nick name for a curious prying fellow; derived from an old legendary tale, told of a taylor of Coventry, who, when Godiva countess of Chester rode at noon quite naked through that town, in order to procure certain immunities for the inhabitants, (notwithstanding the rest of the people shut up their houses) shly peeped out of his window, for which he was miraculously struck blind. His figure, peeping out of a window, is still kept up in remembrance of the transaction.
peery
Inquisitive, suspicious. The cull's peery; that fellow suspects something. There's a peery, tis snitch we are observed, there's nothing to be done.
peery
Suspicious, or inquisitive.
peg
Old Peg; poor hard Suffolk or Yorkshire cheese. A peg is also a blow with a straightarm: a term used by the professors of gymnastic arts. A peg in the day-light, the victualling office, or the haltering-place; a blow in the eye, stomach, or under the ear.
peg
Brandy and soda-water. A PEG by which to pull oneself up again. Also, a shilling.—Scotch.
peg trantum's
Gone to Peg Trantum's; dead.
peggers
People who constantly stimulate themselves by means of brandy and soda-water.
pegge’s
(Samuel) Anecdotes of the English Language, chiefly regarding the Local Dialect of London and Environs, 8vo. 1803-41.
pego
The penis of man or beast.
pegtops
The loose trousers in fashion some years back, small at the ankle and swelling upwards, in imitation of the Zouave costume.