pigeon's milk
Preserved but no longer current.
Sense 1
Boys and novices are frequently sent on the first of April to buy pigeons milk.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
An imaginary fluid for which boys and simpletons are frequently sent on the 1st of April.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
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 “pigeon's milk” mean?
Boys and novices are frequently sent on the first of April to buy pigeons milk.
Is “pigeon's milk” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.