1880. Sims, Zeph, 86. Keep your pecker up, old-man, and I'll pull you through.
1892. Watson, Wops the Waif, 16. Since that I've been a-trying to keep my pecker up and git a honest livin'.
3. (venery).—The penis: see Prick.
Peckham. To have (or spend)
a holiday at Peckham, verb.
phr. (old).—To have nothing to
eat. Going to Peckham =
going to dinner.—Halliwell
(1847).
1823. Bee, Dict. Turf, s.v. Peckham . . . 'No Peckham for Ben, he's been to Clapham,' i.e., is indisposed, in a certain way.
Peckish, adj. (common).—Hungry.—Grose
(1785); Bee (1823).
For synonyms see Wolf.
1837. Haliburton, Clockmaker (1862), 167. I don't care if I stop and breakfast with you for I feel considerably peckish this mornin'.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil, vi. iii. When shall I feel peckish again?
1847. Thackeray. Vanity Fair, xxix. Seeing these nobs grubbing away has made me peckish too.
1860. Chambers' Journal, xiii. 212. There's the tea on the hob, brewing like mad. Are you peckish?
1887. Henley, Culture in Slums, 'Rondeau' i. For lo, old pal, says she, I'm blooming peckish.
1894. Moore, Esther Waters, xli. I feel a bit peckish, don't you? We might have a bit of lunch here.
Pecnoster, subs. (venery.)—The
penis: see Prick.
Peculiar, subs. (old).—1. A belonging;
and (2) a mistress: see
Tart.—B. E. (1696); Grose
(1785).
1647-8. Herrick, Hesperides, 'Larr's Portion.' A Holy-cake: Part of which I give to Larr, Part is my peculiar.
Peculiar River (The), subs. phr.
(venery).—The female pudendum:
see Monosyllable.
1603. Shakspeare, Meas. for Meas., ii. 1. Ov. What's his offence? Pom. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Ov. What, is there a maid with child by him?
Peculiar Institution, subs.
(American).—Negro slavery—'the
peculiar domestic institution
of the Southern States.'
Ped, subs. (Old Cant).—1. A
basket.—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose
(1785).
1579. Spenser, Shepheards Calender, Nov. A hask in a wicker ped, wherein they use to carry fish.
2. (common).—A professional walker or runner.
1884. Sat. Review, 21 June, 810, 1. Running paths, except for the use of professional peds, were then unknown.
1888. Sportsman, 28 Nov. The six peds turned out to fight their way through the roaring and raging wind.
Ped-belly, subs. (provincial).—A
fat man or woman; a corporation
(q.v.). [Ped = basket.]
Pedescript, subs. (old).—Bruises
from kicks.
1659. Shirley, Hon. and Mammon [Nares]. I have it all in pedescript.
Pedestrian digits, subs. phr.
(schoolboys').—The legs.
Pedlar's French, subs. phr.
(old).—1. Cant, or the language
of thieves and vagabonds; and
(2) any unintelligible jargon; also
St. Giles' Greek (q.v.).
['French' and 'Greek' here =
'unintelligible.']—B. E. (c. 1696);
Grose (1785).
1530. Palsgrave, Lang. Françoyse, 368. s.v. Speke. They speke a pedlars frenche amongst themselfe.
