1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue Part 59

POPE'S NOSE. The rump of a turkey.

POPS. Pistols. Popshop: a p.a.w.nbroker's shop. To pop; to p.a.w.n: also to shoot. I popped my tatler; I p.a.w.ned my watch. I popt the cull; I shot the man. His means are two pops and a galloper; that is, he is a highwayman.

POPLERS. Pottage. CANT.

PORK. To cry pork; to give intelligence to the undertaker of a funeral; metaphor borrowed from the raven, whose note sounds like the word pork. Ravens are said to smell carrion at a distance.

PORKER. A hog: also a Jew.

PORRIDGE. Keep your breath to cool your porridge; i. e.

held your tongue.

PORRIDGE ISLAND. An alley leading from St. Martin's church-yard to Round-court, chiefly inhabited by cooks, who cut off ready-dressed meat of all sorts, and also sell soup.

POSEY, or POESY. A nosegay. I shall see you ride backwards up Holborn-hill, with a book in one hand, and a posey in t'other; i.e. I shall see you go to be hanged.

Malefactors who piqued themselves on being properly equipped for that occasion, had always a nosegay to smell to, and a prayer book, although they could not read.

POSSE MOBILITATIS. The mob.

POST MASTER GENERAL. The prime minister, who has the patronage of all posts and places.

POST NOINTER. A house painter, who occasionally paints or anoints posts. Knight of the post; a false evidence, one ready to swear any thing for hire. From post to pillar; backwards and forwards.

POSTILION OF THE GOSPEL. A parson who hurries over the service.

POT. The pot calls the kettle black a-se; one rogue exclaims against another.

POT. On the pot; i.e. at stool.

POT CONVERTS. Proselytes to the Romish church, made by the distribution of victuals and money.

POT HUNTER. One who hunts more tor the sake of the prey than the sport. Pot valiant; courageous from drink.

Potwallopers: persons ent.i.tled to vote in certain boroughs by having boiled a pot there.

POTATOE TRAP. The mouth. Shut your potatoe trap and give your tongue a holiday; i.e. be silent. IRISH WIT.

POTHOOKS AND HANGEKS. A scrawl, bad writing.

POT-WABBLERS. Persons ent.i.tled to vote for members of parliament in certain boroughs, from having boiled their pots therein. These boroughs are called pot-wabbling boroughs.

POULAIN. A bubo. FRENCH.

POULTERER. A person that guts letters; i.e. opens them and secretes the money. The kiddey was topped for the poultry rig; the young fellow was hanged for secreting a letter and taking out the contents.

POUND. To beat. How the milling cove pounded the cull for being nuts on his blowen; how the boxer beat the fellow for taking liberties with his mistress.

POUND. A prison. See LOB'S POUND. Pounded; imprisoned.

Shut up in the parson's pound; married. POWDER

POWDER MONKEY. A boy on board a s.h.i.+p of war, whose business is to fetch powder from the magazine.

POWDERING TUB. The same as pickling tub. See PICKLING TUB.

PRAD LAY. Cutting bags from behind horses. CANT.

PRAD. A horse. The swell flashes a rum prad: the e gentleman sports a fine horse.

PRANCER. A horse. Prancer's nab.; a horse's head, used as a seal to a counterfeit pa.s.s. At the sign of the prancer's poll, i.e. the nag's head.

PRATE ROAST. A talkative boy.

PRATING CHEAT. The tongue.

PRATTS. b.u.t.tocks; also a tinder box. CANT.

PRATTLE BROTH. Tea. See CHATTER BROTH, SCANDAL BROTH, &c.

PRATTLING BOX. The pulpit.

PRAY. She prays with her knees upwards; said of a woman much given to gallantry and intrigue. At her last prayers; saying of an old maid.

PREADAMITE QUACABITES. This great and laudable society (as they termed themselves) held their grand chapter at the Coal-hole.

P---K. The virile member.

p.r.i.c.k-EARED. A p.r.i.c.k-eared fellow; one whose ears are longer than his hair: an appellation frequently given to puritans, who considered long hair as the mark of the wh.o.r.e of Babylon.

p.r.i.c.kLOUSE. A taylor.

PRIEST-CRAFT. The art of awing the laity, managing their consciences, and diving into their pockets.

PRIEST-LINKED. Married.

PRIEST-RIDDEN. Governed by a priest, or priests.

PRIG. A thief, a cheat: also a conceited c.o.xcomical fellow.

PRIG NAPPER. A thief taker.

PRIGGERS. Thieves in general. Priggers of prancers; horse stealers. Priggers of cacklers: robbers of hen-roosts.

PRIGGING. Riding; also lying with a woman.

PRIGSTAR. A rival in love.

PRIME. Bang up. Quite the thing. Excellent. Well done. She's a prime piece; she is very skilful in the venereal act. Prime post. She's a prime article.

PRIMINAKY. I had like to be brought into a priminary; i.e. into trouble; from PREMUNIRE.