parney
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
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."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “parney” mean?
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."
Is “parney” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.