Piepowder Court
Preserved but no longer current.
A court of justice formerly held at fairs, which had summary powers in cases of dispute between those buyers and sellers who were there temporarily. Literally, a "wayfarer's court," piepowder being from Fr. pied-poudreux* dusty-footed (also, a vagabond). The duties of these old Courts of Piepowder are now performed at the Petty Sessions.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Piepowder Court” mean?
A court of justice formerly held at fairs, which had summary powers in cases of dispute between those buyers and sellers who were there temporarily. Literally, a "wayfarer's court," piepowder being from Fr. pied-poudreux* dusty-footed (also, a vagabond). The duties of these old Courts of Piepowder are now performed at the Petty Sessions.
Is “Piepowder Court” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.