w. p
Preserved but no longer current.
Or WARMING-PAN. A clergyman who holds a living pro tempore, under a bond of resignation, is styled a W. P., or WARMING-PAN rector, because he keeps the place warm for his successor. WARMING-PAN was a term first popularly applied to a substitute in the reign of James II.
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 “w. p” mean?
Or WARMING-PAN. A clergyman who holds a living pro tempore, under a bond of resignation, is styled a W. P., or WARMING-PAN rector, because he keeps the place warm for his successor. WARMING-PAN was a term first popularly applied to a substitute in the reign of James II.
Is “w. p” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.