pall
A companion. One who generally accompanies another, or who commit robberies together.
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pall
To stop; "PALL that," spoken authoritatively, means, cease what you are doing. From PALL, a small instrument which is used to stop the windlass or capstan at sea. When a man says, "I am PALLED," he means he cannot or dare not say any more. A sailor, on receiving any extraordinary intelligence, will say, "You PALL me," i.e., you confound me. Most likely from the order frequently given on board ship, "Ease and PALL."
Pall Mall
This fine thoroughfare in the West End of London has been so called since the early 18th century because it is the place where formerly the game of Palle malle (Ital. palla, ball, magha, mallet) was played.
palliards
Those whose fathers were clapperdogens, or beggars born, and who themselves follow the same trade: the female sort beg with a number of children, borrowing them, if they have not a sufficient number of their own, and making them cry by pinching in order to excite charity; the males make artificial sores on different parts of their bodies, to move compassion.
pally
A paladin.
palm
To impose upon. "You can’t PALM that off upon me," is said when an intending purchaser is suspicious of the quality of the article offered.
palm off
To deceive or cheat someone by giving them something worthless
palm oil
Bribes, or rather money for bribes, fees, etc. In Ireland the machinery of a political movement will not work unless there is plenty of palm-oil to prevent friction. — Irish Seditions from 1792 to 1880, p. 39.
Palm Sunday
Figs used to be eaten on that day in commemoration of the blasting of the barren fig-tree by Our Lord (Mark xi) which took place on the day following the triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
palmer
A swindler who used to visit shops under the pretence of collecting harp halfpence. To induce shopkeepers to search for them, he offered thirteenpence for one shilling’s-worth, when many persons were silly enough to empty a large quantity of copper on their counters. The PALMER, a proficient with his fingers, generally contrived to conceal some before he left the shop.
Palmetto State
The State of South Carolina. The palmetto is a fan-leafed palm. Palmy, See PALM.
palmy days
Prosperous or happy days, as those were to a victorious gladiator when he went to receive the palm branch as the reward of his prowess,
palsy
Mate, chum.
pam
The knave of clubs at the game of loo; or, in street phraseology, while the "Judicious Bottleholder" was alive, Lord Palmerston.
Panama Hat
A light, broad-brimmed hat made of the young leaves of Carludovica pal- mata, a palm-like tree indigenous to Central America.
pandora's box
A source of troubles or problems that cannot be controlled once released
Pandora's Box
A present which seems valuable, but which is in reality a curse; like that of Midas (#.v.), who found his very food became gold, and so uneatable.
pandy
Hand.
pannier man
A servant belonging to the Temple and Gray's Inn, whose office is to announce the dinner. This in the Temple, is done by blowing a horn; and in Gray's Inn proclaiming the word Manger, Manger, Manger, in each of the three courts.
pannum
Food, bread.—Lingua Franca, PANNEN; Latin, PANIS; Ancient Cant, YANNAM.
pannum-bound
Said of a pauper or prisoner when his food is stopped. PANNUM-STRUCK, very hungry, starving.
panny
A house. To do a panny: to rob a house. See the Sessions Papers. Probably, panny originally meant the butler's pantry, where the knives and forks, spoons, &c. are usually kept The pigs frisked my panney, and nailed my screws; the officers searched my house, and seized my picklock keys. CANT.
panny
A house—public or otherwise; "flash PANNY," a public-house used by thieves; PANNY-MEN, housebreakers. PANNY, in thieves’ cant, also signifies a burglary.
pantalettes
The drawers worn in America by little girls.
panter
A hart: that animal is, in the Psalms, said to pant after the fresh water-brooks. Also the human heart, which frequently pants in time of danger. CANT.
pantile
A hat.
pantile
A hat. The term PANTILE is properly applied to the mould into which the sugar is poured which is afterwards known as "loaf sugar." Thus, PANTILE, from whence comes the phrase, "a sugar-loaf hat," originally signified a tall, conical hat, in shape similar to that usually represented as the head-gear of a bandit. From PANTILE the more modern slang term TILE has been derived. Halliwell gives PANTILE SHOP, a meeting-house, from the steeple-crowned or PANTILE hats of its frequenters.
pantiler
A Dissenting preacher. Probably from the practice of the Quakers, and many Dissenters, of not removing their hats in a place of worship; or from the sugar-loaf hats originally worn by Puritans.
pants
American term for trousers. Here used to represent the long drawers worn underneath.
panupetaston
A loose overcoat with wide sleeves, now out of fashion.—Oxford University.
panwit
An idiot.
pap
Weak, feeble; lacking substance.
pap
Bread sauce; also the food of infants. His mouth is full of pap; he is still a baby.
paper bag
to hyperventilate into a bag to relieve anxiety
paper blockade
A blockade proclaimed but not put into force.
paper credit
Credit allowed on the score of bills, promissory notes, etc., that show that money is due to the borrower.
paper money
Bank notes as op- posed to coin, or bills used as currency,
paper profits
Hypothetical profits shown on a company's prospectus, etc.
paper scull
A thin-scull'd foolish fellow.
paper tiger
Something that appears powerful but is actually weak or ineffective
paper trail
A series of documents or records showing a sequence of events
paper-maker
A rag-gatherer, or gutter-raker—similar to the chiffonnier of Paris. Also, a man who tramps through the country, and collects rags on the pretence that he is an agent to a paper mill.
paper-worker
A wandering vendor of street literature; one who sells ballads, dying speeches, and confessions, sometimes termed a "running stationer."
papier mache
Pulped paper mixed with glue, or layers of paper glued to- gether and while pliable moulaed to form various articles and ornaments. When dry the material becomes hard and strong. Lacquered, and often inlaid with mother o* pearl, papier mach6 articles were greatly in vogue in early and mid- Victorian times. In 1772 Henry Clay, of Birmingham, used it in coach-building; in 1845 it was first employed for architectural mouldings, etc.
par for the course
What is normally expected to happen
par off
To reject, ignore, or spurn.
para
Very drunk.
parade of horribles
A list of worst-case scenarios or negative consequences
parade passed someone by
missed an opportunity
paradise
French slang for the gallery of a theatre, "up amongst the GODS," which see.
paradise of
The ten animals admitted to the Moslem's paradise are: — (1) The dog Kratim, which accompanied the Seven Sleepers.
paradise on earth
A place of extreme beauty or happiness
paradise shoots
The lign aloe; said to be the only plant descended to us from the Garden of
paralytic
Very drunk.
parcel out
To distribute or allocate something in portions
Pardon Bell
The Angelus bell. So called be- cause of the indulgence once given for reciting certain prayers forming the Angelus (#.v.). Pardoner's Tale, in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, is that of Death and the Rioters, which comes from an Oriental source through the Italian Cento Novelle Antiche.
pardon me
Used to excuse oneself or ask for forgiveness
pardon my French
Excuse my use of offensive language
pare down
To reduce something to its simplest or most essential form
parell
Whites of eggs, bay salt, milk, and pump water, beat together, and poured into a vessel of wine to prevent its fretting.
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