d.1859. De Quincey, Style, iii. Passages of great musical effect . . . vulgarised by too perpetual a parroting.
18 [?]. Hall, False Philol. 31. The verb experience is, to Mr. White, parroting Dean Alford, altogether objectionable.
1873. Mill, Autobiog., 31. Mere parroteers of what they have learnt.
See Almond.
Parsley, subs. (venery).—The
pubic hair: see Fleece. Hence
parsley-bed = the female pudendum:
see Monosyllable; to
take a turn among the
parsley = to copulate.
1707. Old Song [Farmer, Merry Songs and Ballads (1897), 1 S. iii. 131]. It was said, that one Mr. Ed—mond, Did both dig and sow in her Parsly-bed.
1719. Ward, London Spy, I. 36. I am very glad it's no worse; I was never so scar'd since I pop'd out of the parsley bed.
1851. Notes and Queries, I, S. vi. 517. I was told that little girls came out of a parsley-bed, and little boys from under a gooseberry bush. Ibid. 5 S. iii. (1875) 'Babies in Folk-lore.' In England every little girl knows that the male babies come from the nettle-bed, and the female ones from the parsley-bed.
Parson, subs. (old).—A wayside
sign-post (q.v.).—GROSE (1785).
Verb. (colloquial).—1. To marry; and (2) to church (after child-delivery). Whence parsoned = married or churched; married and parsoned = duly and legally married.
To kiss the parson's wife, verb. phr. (old).—To be lucky in horse-flesh.—Grose (1785).
Remember Parson Mallum! intj. phr. (old).—'Pray drink about Sir.'—B. E. (1696).
Maryland parson, subs. phr. (American).—A disreputable cleric.
Parson Palmer, subs. phr. (old).—See
quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Parson Palmer. One who stops the circulation of the glass, by preaching over his liquor, as it is said was done by a parson of that name whose cellar was under his pulpit.
Parson's Barn, subs. phr. (old).—A
barn never so full but there
is room for more.
Parson's-journeyman, subs. phr.
(common).—A curate.—Grose
(1785).
Parson's-nose, subs. phr. (common).—A
chicken's rump: cf.
Pope's nose and Pope's-eye:
Fr. le bonnet d'évêque.
Parson's Leman. See Tender.
Parson's Week, subs. phr. (clerical).—The
period from Monday
to Saturday.
1800. Price, Life of H. F. Carey, i. 144. Get my duty done for a Sunday, so that I may be out a Parson's week.
Part, verb. (colloquial).—To pay;
to restore; to give: hence parter
= a paymaster, good or bad.
Cf. 'a fool and his money are
soon parted' (Tusser, 1573, and
Howell, 1617).
1670. Old Ballad, 'Seaman's Adieu.' Some . . . Have parted with their ready rino.
1880. Sims, Three Brass Balls, xix. The top floor rarely parted before Monday morning.
1888. Runciman, Chequers, 106. If I could get the mater to part.
1892. Ally Sloper, 2 April, 107, 2. 'Hand over the other tenner.' Miss Mudge parted cheerfully.
1896. Farjeon, Betray. John Fordham, iii. 281. But it was no go; them as gathered round wouldn't part.
