prairie dog
a person who frequently interrupts or talks excessively
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Prairie Schooner
A large covered wagon, drawn by oxen or mules, used to transport settlers across the North American continent.
praise the day at sunset
Don't judge something until it's complete
praise to the skies
To praise someone or something extremely highly
praise with faint damns
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
prancer
A horse. Prancer's nab.; a horse's head, used as a seal to a counterfeit pass. At the sign of the prancer's poll, i.e. the nag's head.
prancer
A horse.—Ancient Cant. In modern slang an officer of cavalry.
pranged
paranoid
prattie
A potato.
prattle broth
Tea. See CHATTER BROTH, SCANDAL BROTH, &c.
pratts
Buttocks; also a tinder box. CANT.
prawn cocktail offensive
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
pray
She prays with her knees upwards; said of a woman much given to gallantry and intrigue. At her last prayers; saying of an old maid.
pray tell
Used to ask someone to explain or tell something
pray to the porcelain god
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
pray to the porcelain goddess
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
preach in the desert
To speak or express ideas to people who are not listening
preach to deaf ears
To advise or try to persuade someone who refuses to listen
preach to the choir
to persuade people who already agree
preach water and drink wine
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
preadamite quacabites
This great and laudable society (as they termed themselves) held their grand chapter at the Coal-hole.
precepts teach, examples move
Teachings are more effective when accompanied by practical examples
precious
Used, in a slang sense, like very or exceeding; "a PRECIOUS little of that," i.e., a very little indeed; a PRECIOUS humbug, rascal, &c., i.e., an eminent one.
precious little
Very little or almost nothing
Precious Stones
The ancients divided precious stones into male and female. The darker stones were called the males, and the light ones were called the females. Male sapphires approach indigo in colour, but the female ones are sky- blue. Theophartus mentions the distinction.
premises
The vagina.
prepared to do something
Common English phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
Presbyterian Church
A Church governed by elders or presbyters (Gr. presbuteros, elder), and ministers, all of equal ecclesiastical rank; espe- cially the United Presbyterian Church of Scot- land, which was formed in 1847 by the union of the United Secession and Relief Churches, and which in 1900 united with the Free Church of Scotland.
present company excepted
Excluding the people currently present
preserved in aspic
Maintained in a state of unchanged preservation
press into service
To force or compel someone to do a task or job
press on
Continue trying or doing something despite difficulties
press the flesh
To shake hands and mingle with people, often for political gain
press the panic button
To overreact or take sudden action in a stressful situation
Preston and his Mastiffs
To oppose Preston and his mastiffs is to be foolhardy, to resist what is irresistible. Christopher Preston estab- lished the Bear Garden at Hockley-in-the- Hole in the time of Charles II, and was killed in 1700 by one of his own bears.
pretty bobbish
Pretty well (in spirits and health), from bob, as in the phrase bear a bob above.
pretty good
Satisfactory or of good quality
pretty horsebreakers
A phrase adopted some years back, in deference to common squeamishness, to denote the demi-monde, who dress so well and ride so daintily. Really, pretty heartbreakers.
pretty much
Almost or very nearly
pretty penny
A large amount of money
pretty pictures
Attractive but unrealistic or misleading representations
pretzel up
to twist or contort one's body
prevail upon
To persuade or convince someone to do something
prevention is better than cure
It is better to stop something bad from happening than to fix it later
prial
A corruption of PAIR-ROYAL, a term at the game of cribbage, meaning three cards of a similar description. Often used metaphorically for three persons or things of a kind. DOUBLE-PRIAL, a corruption of DOUBLE PAIR-ROYAL, means four cards, persons, or things of a similar description.
price is right
The cost is acceptable or suitable
price of eggs
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
price of tea in China
a piece of trivial or useless information
price on someone's head
A reward offered for someone's capture or death
price out
To be too expensive for someone to afford
prices ranging from €25 to €60
Common English phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
prick the garter
An old swindling game, better known as "Fast and loose." See under FAST.
prick-eared
A prick-eared fellow; one whose ears are longer than his hair: an appellation frequently given to puritans, who considered long hair as the mark of the whore of Babylon.
Pride and Prejudice Mr
Collins appears as a bore and snob of the first water; after a protracted and unwanted visit at the Bennetts' his parting words are: "Depend upon it, you will speedily receive from me a letter of thanks for this as well as for every other mark of your regard during my stay in Hertford- shire.
Pride comes before the fall. (Strauss, 1994 p. 1148)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Pride's Purge
The Long Parliament, not proving itself willing to condemn Charles I, was purged of its unruly members by Colonel Thomas Pride (d.
priest-craft
The art of awing the laity, managing their consciences, and diving into their pockets.
priest-ridden
Governed by a priest, or priests.
prig
A thief, a cheat: also a conceited coxcomical fellow.
prig
A conceited, stuck-up, over-knowing person; one who appropriates or adopts a manner or costume not suited to him.
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