1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar TongueGrose, Francis
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1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
Grose, Francis
English language -- Slang -- Dictionaries
PASS BANK. The place for playing at passage, cut into
the ground almost like a cock-pit. Also the stock or
fund.
PASSAGE. A camp game with three dice: doublets, making
up ten or more, to pass or win; any other chances
lose.
PAT. Apposite, or to the purpose.
PATE. The head. Carroty-pated; red-haired.
PATRICO, or PATER-COVE. The fifteenth rank of the canting
tribe; strolling priests that marry people under a
hedge, without gospel or common prayer book: the
couple standing on each side of a dead beast, are bid to live
together till death them does part; so shaking hands, the
wedding is ended. Also any minister or parson.
PATTERING. The maundering or pert replies of servants;
also talk or palaver in order to amuse one intended to be
cheated. Pattering of prayers; the confused sound of a
number of persons praying together.
TO PATTER. To talk. To patter flash; to speak flash, or
the language used by thieves. How the blowen lushes
jackey, and patters flash; how the wench drinks gin, and
talks flash.
PAVIOUR'S WORKSHOP. The street.
TO PAUM. To conceal in the hand. To paum a die: to
hide a die in the palm of the hand. He paums; he cheats.
Don't pretend to paum that upon me.
PAUNCH. The belly. Some think paunch was the original
name of that facetious prince of puppets, now called
Mr. Punch, as he is always represented with a very
prominent belly: though the common opinion is, that both
the name and character were taken from a celebrated Italian
comedian, called Polichenello.
PAW. A hand or foot; look at his dirty paws. Fore paw;
the hand. Hind paw; the foot. To paw; to touch or
handle clumsily.
PAW PAW TRICKS. Naughty tricks: an expression used
by nurses, &c. to children.
TO PAY. To smear over. To pay the bottom of a ship or
boat; to smear it over with pitch: The devil to pay, and
no pitch hot or ready. SEA TERM.--Also to beat: as, I will
pay you as Paul paid the Ephesians, over the face and eyes,
and all your d---d jaws. To pay away; to fight manfully,
also to eat voraciously. To pay through the nose: to pay
an extravagant price.
To PEACH. To impeach: called also to blow the gab, squeak,
or turn stag.
PEAK. Any kind of lace.
PEAL. To ring a peal in a man's ears; to scold at him: his
wife rang him such a peal!
PEAR MAKING. Taking bounties from several regiments
and immediately deserting. The cove was fined in the
steel for pear making; the fellow was imprisoned in the
house of correction for taking bounties from different
regiments.
PECCAVI. To cry peccavi; to acknowledge one's self in an
error, to own a fault: from the Latin PECCAVI, I have sinned.
PECK. Victuals. Peck and booze; victuals and drink.
PECKISH. Hungry.
PECULIAR. A mistress.
PED. A basket. CANT.
PEDLAR'S FRENCH. The cant language. Pedlar's pony;
a walking-stick.
To PEEL. To strip: allusion to the taking off the coat or
rind of an orange or apple.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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