1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, iii. xii. The phlegmatic peagoose Asopus.
Peak, subs. (old).—1. Lace.—B. E.
(c.1696); Grose (1785).
2. (common).—The nose: see Conk.
Peak-goose. See Pea-goose.
Peaking, subs. (trade).—Remnants
of cloth: cf. makings and cabbage.
Peal, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—(1)
A custom in Commoners of
singing out comments on Præfects
at Cloister-time (g.v.); (2)
cheers given on the last three
Sundays of the Half for articles
of dress, &c, connected with
going home, such as "Gomer
Hats" (q.v.), Party Rolls
(q.v.), &c.; and (3) Chapel bells
which were divided into Peals.
[Halliwell = a noise or uproar:
cf. M. E. apel = an old
term in hunting music consisting
of three long moots.]
c.1840. Mansfield, School Life, 62. The Junior in chamber . . . had to keep a sharp ear on the performance of the chapel bell, and to call out accordingly, 'first peal!' 'second peal!' 'bells down!'
Verb. (old).—To scold.—Grose (1785).
Pealer, subs. (American).—A very
energetic person; a rustler
(q.v.); a hummer (q.v.).
1869. Stowe, Old Town Folks, 117. She was spoken of with applause under such titles as 'a staver,' a pealer, 'a roarer to work.'
See Peeler.
Peanut-politics, subs. phr.
(American).—Secret tactics. [The
pea-nut buries its pods after
flowering, a process by which
the nuts are ripened.]
1887. New York Mail, 27 May. Governor Hill to-day said what he thought of Quarantine Commissioner T. C. Platt's letter, offering to resign his post, if the Governor would consent not to play peanut politics, and would appoint Colonel Fred Grant in his stead.
Pear, verb. (thieves').—To draw
supplies from both sides: as from
the police for information, and
from thieves for a warning: cf.
pear-making = bounty jumping.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Pear-making. 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.
Pea-rigger (or Pea-man). See
Thimble-rigger.
Pearl. To make a pearl on
the nail, verb. phr. (old).—To
drink.—Ray (1767).
Pearlies, subs. (costers').—In pl.
= pearl buttons: sewn down the
sides of the trousers.
1886-06. Marshall, 'Pomes' from the Pink 'Un ('Bleary Bill'), 60. Oh! why are your pearlies so bright, bleary Bill?
1892. National Observer, 27 Feb., p. 378. Look at my pearlies, Kool my 'ed of 'air.
1894. Chevalier, The Coster's Serenade [Farmer, Musa Pedestris (1896), 196]. Me in my pearlies felt a toff that day.
1900. Daily Mail, 23 Mar., 4, 5. Had the soldier had as many buttons to his tunic as the average London coster has pearlies on his holiday inexpressibles, he could speedily have realised a small fortune.
1901. Henley, Hawthorn and Lavender, 78. With pearlies and a barrer and a Jack.
Peas. As like as two peas,
phr. (common).—As like as may
be.
