Part 27

~Over~, in cricket, four balls delivered from one end to another. After an OVER has been bowled, the fielders, wicket-keepers, &c., change ends, and the bowling goes on from the recent batting wicket. A MAIDEN-OVER is an OVER from which no runs are obtained. Four balls is the regulation number to an OVER in all important matches; but little clubs and practice elevens suit their own convenience.

~Overs~, the odd money remaining after the daily accounts are made up at a banking-house,—usually divided amongst the clerks. _See_ MENAVELINGS and SHORTS.

~Owned~, a slang expression used by the ultra-Evangelicals when a popular preacher makes many converts. The converts themselves are called his “seals.”

~P. P.~, an expression much in use among racing men, which means play or pay, _i.e._, either go on with the arrangement or forfeit the money. The following is a law of the turf on the subject:—

The following races shall be considered “play or pay”:—The Derby and Oaks at Epsom, the St. Leger at Doncaster, the Two Thousand Guineas, the One Thousand Guineas, the Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire, at Newmarket, the Ascot, Goodwood, and Doncaster Cups, and all handicaps above 200 sovs. value with two forfeits, the minor of which shall not be less than 5 sovs.; and the Committees of Tattersall’s, and of the Subscription Room at Newmarket, will take no cognisance of any disputes respecting “play or pay” bets on any other races, or of any bets made upon handicap races before the weights are published.

This is the exact law on the subject, but as a rule all bets on horse-racing are considered P. P. unless otherwise arranged. In all matches, though, whether turf, pedestrian, aquatic, or otherwise, a run is given for the money in ordinary betting transactions.

~P’s and q’s~, particular points, precise behaviour; “mind your P’S and Q’S,” be very careful. Originating, according to some, from the similarity of P’S and Q’S in the hornbook alphabet, and therefore the warning of an old dame to her pupils, or, according to others, of a French dancing-master to his pupils, to mind their _pieds_ (feet) and _queues_ (wigs) when bowing.

~Pack~, to go away; “now, then, PACK off there,” _i.e._, be off, don’t stop here any longer.—_Old._ “Make speede to flee, be PACKING awaie.”—_Baret’s Alvearie_, 1580. Contraction of “PACK up and be off.” Sometimes the term “sent PACKING” is used to indicate a sudden discharge, as of a servant or mistress.

~Packets~, hoaxing lies. Sometimes used as an exclamation of incredulity.—_North._

~Pad~, “to stand PAD,” to beg with a small piece of paper pinned on the breast, inscribed, “I am starving.”

~Pad~, the highway; also a tramp or itinerant musician.

~Pad the hoof~, to walk; “PADDING THE HOOF, on the high toby,” tramping or walking on the high road.

“Trudge, plod away o’ the HOOF.”—_Merry Wives_, i. 3.

~Padding~, the light articles in the monthly magazines, of which the serial stories are the main attraction. Publishers of magazines seem to think that if they get a serial story from a popular novelist they can pack any amount of rubbish into the remaining pages. This is not so in America, as magazines like the _Atlantic Monthly_ and the _Overland Monthly_ show.

~Padding-ken~, or CRIB, tramps’ and boys’ lodging-house.

~Paddle~, to go or run away.—_American._

~Paddy~, PAT, or PADDY WHACK, an Irishman. A nickname of PATRICK.

“I’m PADDY WHACK, from Ballyhack, Not long ago turn’d soldier; In storm and sack, in front attack, None other can be boulder.”—_Irish Song._

~Paddy’s goose~, the sign of the White Swan, a noted flash public-house in the east of London, supposed to be Paddy’s idea of a GOOSE.

~Paddy’s land~, “ould Ireland.”

~Padre~, a clergyman. From the Portuguese.

~Pal~, a partner, acquaintance, friend, an accomplice. _Gipsy_, a brother.

~Palampo~, a quilt or bed-cover. Probably from PALANPORE, a town in India, renowned for its manufacture of chintz counterpanes.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Palaver~, to ask, or talk—deceitfully or otherwise, as occasion requires; “PALAVER to his nibs for a shant of bivvy,” ask the master for a pot of beer. NANTEE PALAVER (pronounced PERLARVER), cease talking. In this sense used by tramps. Derived from the Portuguese.

~Pall~, to stop; “PALL that,” spoken authoritatively, means, cease what you are doing. From PALL, a small instrument which is used to stop the windlass or capstan at sea. When a man says, “I am PALLED,” he means he cannot or dare not say any more. A sailor, on receiving any extraordinary intelligence, will say, “You PALL me,” _i.e._, you confound me. Most likely from the order frequently given on board ship, “Ease and PALL.”

~Palm~, to impose upon. “You can’t PALM that off upon me,” is said when an intending purchaser is suspicious of the quality of the article offered.

~Palm oil~, or PALM SOAP, money; also, a bribe.

~Palmer~, a swindler who used to visit shops under the pretence of collecting harp halfpence. To induce shopkeepers to search for them, he offered thirteenpence for one shilling’s-worth, when many persons were silly enough to empty a large quantity of copper on their counters. The PALMER, a proficient with his fingers, generally contrived to conceal some before he left the shop.

~Palming~, robbing shops by pairs—one thief bargaining with apparent intent to purchase, whilst the other watches his opportunity to steal. The following anecdote will give an idea of their _modus operandi_. A man once entered a “ready-made” boot and shoe shop, and desired to be shown a pair of boots—his companion staying outside and amusing himself by looking in at the window. The one who required to be fresh shod was apparently of a humble and deferential turn, for he placed his hat on the floor directly he stepped into the shop. Boot after boot was tried on until at last a fit was obtained, when in rushed a man, snatched up the customer’s hat left near the door, and ran down the street as fast as his legs could carry him. Away went the customer after his hat, and Crispin, standing at the door, clapped his hands, and shouted, “Go it, you’ll catch him!”—little thinking that it was a concerted trick, and that neither his boots nor the customer would ever return. Instances of this kind of work frequently occur. PALMING sometimes refers to secreting money or rings in the hand, as well as to bribing. PALMING is also the generic term for all that kind of conjuring which depends on manual dexterity, and which is totally distinct from the mechanical-contrivance department.

~Pam~, the knave of clubs at the game of loo; or, in street phraseology, while the “Judicious Bottleholder” was alive, Lord Palmerston.

~Pannikin~, a small pan.

~Pannum~, food, bread.—_Lingua Franca_, PANNEN; _Latin_, PANIS; _Ancient Cant_, YANNAM.

~Pannum-bound~, said of a pauper or prisoner when his food is stopped. PANNUM-STRUCK, very hungry, starving.

~Panny~, a house—public or otherwise; “flash PANNY,” a public-house used by thieves; PANNY-MEN, housebreakers. PANNY, in thieves’ cant, also signifies a burglary.

~Pantalettes~, the drawers worn in America by little girls.

~Pantile~, a hat. The term PANTILE is properly applied to the mould into which the sugar is poured which is afterwards known as “loaf sugar.” Thus, PANTILE, from whence comes the phrase, “a sugar-loaf hat,” originally signified a tall, conical hat, in shape similar to that usually represented as the head-gear of a bandit. From PANTILE the more modern slang term TILE has been derived. Halliwell gives PANTILE SHOP, a meeting-house, from the steeple-crowned or PANTILE hats of its frequenters. PANTILE also means a flat cake with jam on it, given to boys at boarding-schools instead of pudding.

~Pantiler~, a Dissenting preacher. Probably from the practice of the Quakers, and many Dissenters, of not removing their hats in a place of worship; or from the sugar-loaf hats originally worn by Puritans. Another derivation is from the earthen tiles, technically PANTILES (tiles hollowed in the middle, as distinguished from “pintiles,” the older sort, which are flat, smaller, and pinned or nailed to the rafters), with which meeting-houses of Dissenters are usually covered; hence the meeting-house came to be called a PANTILE, and its frequenters PANTILERS.

~Pants~, American term for trousers. Here used to represent the long drawers worn underneath.

~Panupetaston~, a loose overcoat with wide sleeves, now out of fashion.—_Oxford University._

~Paper-maker~, a rag-gatherer, or gutter-raker—similar to the chiffonnier of Paris. Also, a man who tramps through the country, and collects rags on the pretence that he is an agent to a paper mill.

~Paper-Worker~, a wandering vendor of street literature; one who sells ballads, dying speeches, and confessions, sometimes termed a “running stationer.”

~Parachute~, a parasol.

~Paradise~, French slang for the gallery of a theatre, “up amongst the GODS,” which _see_.

~Parish lantern~, the moon.

~Parish prig~, or PARISH BULL, a parson.—_Thieves’ cant._

~Parney~, 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.”

~Parson~, a signpost. Common term in the north, where they say that the PARSON points, but does not lead. This is given, as the lawyers say, “without prejudice.”

~Parson Trulliber~, a rude, vulgar, country clergyman, devoted to agricultural pursuits; the race is most probably now extinct. From the pig-feeding and pig-headed parson in _Joseph Andrews_.

~Parson’s nose~, the hind part of a goose—a savoury mouthful. Sometimes called the POPE’S NOSE.

~Part~, to pay, restore, or give up; “he’s a right un, he is; I know’d he’d PART,” _i.e._, he is a liberal (or punctual) person, and pays his debts, or bestows gratuities. The term is in general use in sporting circles, and is very commonly employed when speaking of the settlement of bets after a race. It is probably derived from the very common reference to stingy people, who are described as not liking to PART with their money.

~Parter~, a free, liberal person. Sometimes called a “good PARTER.” Any one who looks twice at his money, or who doesn’t pay it at all, is called a “bad PARTER.”

~Party~, a person—term in very general use, similar in application to the German pronoun, MAN, a person, people; “where’s the PARTY as ’ad a’ orter be lookin’ after this ’ere ’oss?” policeman’s inquiry of the wrong cabman; “old PARTY,” an elderly person. The term is said to have arisen in our old justice courts, where, to save “his worship” and the clerk of the court any trouble in exercising their memories with the names of the different plaintiffs, defendants, and witnesses, the word PARTY was generally employed. Dean Alford remarked:—

“The word PARTY for a man is especially offensive. Strange to say, the use is not altogether modern. It occurs in the English version of the Apocryphal book of Tobit, vi. 7. ‘If an evil spirit trouble any, one must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the PARTY shall be no more vexed.’”

In Shakspeare we find the term:—

“_Stephano._ How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me to the PARTY?”—_Tempest_, iii. 2.

This is not the only instance of the word being used by the immortal bard. “I once heard,” said the Dean just quoted, “a venerable dignitary pointed out by a railway porter as an old PARTY in a shovel.” The last word is the vulgar term applied to the peculiar hat worn by clerical dignitaries.

~Pash~, to strike; now corrupted to BASH, which _see_.—_Shakspeare._

~Paste~, to beat, to thrash vigorously.

~Pasteboard~, a visiting card; “to PASTEBOARD a person,” to drop a card at an absent person’s house.

~Paste-horn~, the nose. Shoemakers nickname any shopmate with a large nose “old PASTE-HORN,” from the shape of the horn in which they keep their paste.

~Pasty~, a bookbinder.

~Patch.~ This old English term of reproach, long obsolete in polite language, may yet occasionally be heard in sentences like these:—“Why, he’s not a PATCH upon him,” _i.e._, he is not to be compared with him; “one’s not a PATCH on the other,” &c. Shakspeare uses the word in the sense of a paltry fellow:—

“What a pied ninny’s this? thou scurvy PATCH!”

In old English PATCH meant a fool, a wearer of patched clothes of motley.

~Patent coats~, the first coat, with the pockets inside the skirt, were so termed.

~Patter~, a speech or discourse, a pompous street oration, a judge’s summing up, a trial. Ancient word for muttering. Probably from the _Latin_, PATERNOSTER, or Lord’s Prayer. This was said, before the Reformation, in a “low voice” by the priest, until he came to “and lead us not into temptation,” to which the choir responded, “but deliver us from evil.” In the reformed Prayer Book this was altered, and the Lord’s Prayer directed to be said “with a _loud voice_.” Dr. Pusey takes this view of the derivation in his _Letter to the Bishop of London_, p. 78, 1851. Scott uses the word twice, in _Ivanhoe_ and the _Bride of Lammermoor_.

~Patter~, to talk. PATTER FLASH, to speak the language of thieves, talk cant.

~Patteran~, a gipsy trail, made by throwing down a handful of grass occasionally, especially where they have turned off from the main road.

~Patter-crib~, a flash house.

~Patterer~, one of a race now nearly defunct, who cried last dying speeches, &c., in the streets. The term is also applied to those who help off their wares by long harangues in the public thoroughfares. These men, to use their own term, “are the aristocracy of the street sellers,” and despise the costermongers for their ignorance, boasting that they live by their intellect, which, as they do not live wonderfully well, is no particularly wise boast.

~Pattern~, a common vulgar phrase for “patent.”

~Paul Pry~, an inquisitive person. From the well-known comedy.

~Paw~, the hand. PAW-CASES, gloves. Boots are in some parts of Ireland called “gloves for the feet.”

~Pay~, to beat a person, or “serve him out.” Originally a nautical term, meaning to stop the seams of a vessel with pitch (_French_, POIX); “here’s the d‑‑‑‑l to PAY, and no pitch hot,” said when any catastrophe occurs which there is no means of averting; “to PAY over face and eyes, as the cat did the monkey;” “to PAY through the nose,” to give a ridiculous price,—an expressive phrase of which no one seems to know the origin. Shakspeare uses PAY in the sense of to beat or thrash.

~Pay~, to deliver. “PAY that letter to Mr. So-and-so” is a very common direction to a Chinese servant.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Pay-away~, “go on with your story, or discourse.” From the nautical phrase PAY-AWAY, meaning to allow a rope to run out of a vessel. When the hearer considers the story quite long enough, he, carrying out the same metaphor, exclaims “hold on.”

~Peach~, an informer against omnibus conductors and drivers, one especially hired by the proprietors to count passengers and stoppages. The term is in frequent use amongst omnibus-men. This is about the only instance known of the verb being used as a substantive.

~Peach~, to inform against or betray. Webster states that the word “impeach” is now mostly used, and that PEACH is confined principally to the conversation of thieves and the lower orders. The word was originally “impeach,” though it was never until lately used in the same way as its abridgment.

~Peacock horse~, amongst undertakers, is one with a showy tail and mane, which holds its head up well. PEACOCKY refers to an objectionable high action among racehorses.

~Peaking~, remnants of cloth. Term amongst drapers and cloth warehousemen.

~Peaky~, sickly, delicate.

~Pec~, a term used by the Eton boys for money, an abbreviation, of course, of the _Latin_ PECUNIA.

~Peck~, food; “PECK and boose,” meat and drink.—_Lincolnshire._ _Ancient Cant_, PEK, meat.

~Peck~, to eat voraciously. A hearty eater is generally called “a rare PECKER.” Originally PECK was to eat delicately, “but we have changed all that now.”

~Peck-alley~, the throat.

~Pecker~, “keep your PECKER up,” _i.e._, don’t get down in the mouth,—literally, keep your beak or head well up, “never say die!”

~Peckham~, a facetious usage of the name of this district, implying a dinner; “all holiday at PECKHAM,” _i.e._, nothing to eat.

~Peckish~, hungry. _Old Cant_, PECKIDGE, meat.

~Peel~, to strip, or disrobe.—_Sporting._

~Peeler~, a policeman; so called from Sir Robert Peel (_see_ BOBBY); properly applied to the Irish Constabulary rather than the Metropolitan Police, the former force having been established by Sir Robert Peel.

~Peepers~, eyes; “painted PEEPERS,” eyes bruised or blackened from a blow.—_Pugilistic._

~Peery~, suspicious, or inquisitive.

~Peg~, brandy and soda-water. A PEG by which to pull oneself up again. Also, a shilling.—_Scotch._

~Peg~, “to PEG away,” to strike, run, or drive away; “PEG a hack,” to drive a cab; “to take him down a PEG or two,” to check an arrogant or conceited person,—possibly derived from the use of PEG tankards. _See_ PIN.

~Peg~, to drink frequently; generally used in reference to devotees of “S. and B.”

~Peggers~, people who constantly stimulate themselves by means of brandy and soda-water.

~Pegtops~, the loose trousers in fashion some years back, small at the ankle and swelling upwards, in imitation of the Zouave costume.

~Penang-lawyer~, a long cane, sometimes carried by a footman. PENANG-LAWYERS are also bludgeons which are carried by all classes in Singapore.

~Pencil-fever~, a supposititious disease among racehorses, the preliminary symptoms of which show that an animal has been pretty considerably “milked.” PENCIL-FEVER sets in when, despite the efforts of the “marketeers,” a horse can no longer be kept at a short price in the lists, through his actual condition being discovered, and when every layer of odds is anxious to write his name down. This disorder is also called “milk-fever,” “market-fever,” and other suggestive names.

~Penny-a-liner~, a contributor of local news, accidents, fires, and scandals to a newspaper; a man not regularly “on the paper;” one who is popularly believed to be paid for each contribution at the rate of a penny a line, and whose interest is, therefore, that his articles should be stuffed with fine words and long sentences. This wonderful person, to whom so much is daily attributed, is now generally called a LINER.

~Penny dreadfuls~, an expressive term for those penny publications which depend more upon sensationalism than upon merit, artistic or literary, for success.

~Penny gaff~, a shop turned into a temporary theatre (admission one penny), at which dancing and singing take place every night. Sometimes rude pictures of the performers are arranged outside to give the front a gaudy and attractive look, and at night-time coloured lamps and transparencies are displayed to draw an audience. Zest is given to these entertainments by the fact that now and again the police make raids upon the houses, and carry off both actors and spectators. These places are also called “dukeys,” for no reason that can be discovered. _See_ GAFF.

~Penny starver~, a penny roll. _See_ BUSTER.

~Pen’orth~, value for money; as, “I’ll have my PEN’ORTH,”—given irrespective of the actual amount.

~Pensioner~, a man of the most degraded condition who lives off the miserable earnings of a prostitute. There is an unmentionable prefix to the word PENSIONER. _See_ PONCE.

~Pepper~, to thrash, or strike.—_Pugilistic_, but used by Shakspeare.—_Eastern Counties._

~Pepper-boxes~, the buildings of the Royal Academy and National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. The name was first given by a wag, in allusion to the cupolas erected by Wilkins, the architect, upon the roof, which, from their form and awkward appearance, at a distance suggest to the stranger the fact of their being enlarged PEPPER-BOXES. _See_ BOILERS.

~Perch~, or ROOST, a resting-place; “I’m off to PERCH,” _i.e._, I am going to bed.

“Nor yet a single perch, for which my lucky stars to thank, Except the _perch_ I’ve taken on this damp rheumatic bank.”

_Lay of the Unsuccessful Angler._

~Perform~, to carry out a design, generally a dishonest one. To “PERFORM on a flat” is to cozen a fool.

~Perkin~, beer. Dandy or affected shortening of the widely-known firm, Barclay and Perkins.

~Perpendicular~, a lunch taken standing-up at a tavern bar. It is usual to call it lunch, often as the PERPENDICULAR may take the place of dinner.

~Persuaders~, spurs.

~Pesky~, an intensitive expression, implying annoyance; as, “A PESKY, troublesome fellow.” Corruption of PESTILENT; or, _Irish_, PEASGACH, rough, rugged. PESKY has now become more American than English. _Pesky Ike_ is the name of a popular American drama.

~Peter~, a partridge.—_Poacher’s term._

~Peter~, a bundle, or valise. Also, a cash-box.

~Peter~, to run short, or give out.—_American._

~Peter Funk~, an American term for a spurious auction or “knock-out.”

~Peter Grievous~, a miserable, melancholy fellow; a croaker.

~Petticoat~, a woman.

~Pewter~, money, like “tin,” used generally to signify silver; also a tankard. “Let me have my beer in the PEWTER,” is a common request to waiters, made by “City” men, and others who affect habits of rude health. The pots for which rowing men contend are often called PEWTERS.

~Philadelphia-lawyer~, a Transatlantic limb of the law considered to be the very acme of acuteness. Sailors relate many stories of his artful abilities, none, however, short enough to find a place here. The phrase, “Enough to puzzle a PHILADELPHIA-LAWYER,” means, enough to puzzle the sharpest man in the world.

~Philander~, to ramble on incoherently; to write discursively and weakly.

~Philip~, a policeman. The word is loudly given as a signal that the police are approaching.

~Philiper~, a thief’s accomplice, one who stands by and looks out for the police while the others commit a robbery, and who calls out “Philip!” when any one approaches.

~Philistine~, a policeman. The German students call all townspeople not of their body “Philister,” as ours say “cads.” The departing student says, mournfully, in one of the Burschenlieder—

“Muss selber nun PHILISTER sein!”

_i.e._, “I must now myself PHILISTINE be!” Also, a man who is of a set opposed to one’s own. Society is supposed to regard all outside its bounds as belonging to the PHILISTINE world. Bohemians regard all cleanly, orderly people who conform to conventionality as PHILISTINES.

~Physog~, or PHIZ, the face. Swift uses the latter word. Corruption of PHYSIOGNOMY.

~Picaroon~, a pirate or buccaneer originally; now an ordinary thief.

~Piccadilly butchers~, a satirical name applied by the crowd to the regiment of Horse Guards, known as the “Royal Blues,” from their savage onslaught upon the crowd on the occasion of the arrest of Sir Francis Burdett at his house in Piccadilly, by order of the Speaker of the House of Commons. _See_ CHEESEMONGERS.

~Piccadilly weepers~, long carefully combed-out whiskers of the Dundreary fashion.

~Pick~, “to PICK oneself up,” to recover after a beating or illness, sometimes varied to “PICK up one’s crumbs;” “to PICK a man up,” “to do,” or cheat him.

~Pickaninny~, a young child is thus styled by the West Indian negroes. The word is now completely naturalized among sailors and water-side people in England.

~Pickers~, the hands.—_Shakspeare._

~Pickle~, a miserable or comical position; “he is in a sad PICKLE,” said of any one who has fallen into the gutter, or got besmeared. “A PICKLE herring,” a comical fellow, a merry-andrew.—_Old._ Also, a mischievous boy; “what a PICKLE he is, to be sure!” Derived from his always getting into a PICKLE, or mess.

~Pickles!~ gammon; also a jeering and insulting exclamation.

~Pick-me-up~, a revivifying drink taken after a debauch; a tonic.