Pensioner, subs. (venery).—1. A prostitute's bully; fancy-man (q.v.): see Petticoat.—Vaux (1819).
1887. A. Barrere, Argot and Slang, 272. Prostitute's bully, or pensioner.
2. (University: Cambridge).—One who pays a 'pensio' or rent for rooms in College: at Oxford a Commoner (q.v.).
1780. Mansel [Whibley, Cap and Gown]. At Cambridge Commencements the time When gentlemen come for degrees, And with wild-looking cousins and wives Through a smart mob of Pensioners squeeze.
Pent (The), subs. (old).—Pentonville
prison: see Cage.
1857. Punch, 31 Jan., 49. For if Guv'ment wos here, not the Alderman's Bench, Newgit, soon 'ud be bad as the Pent, or 'the Tench.'
Penthouse-nab, subs. phr. (old).—A
broad-brimmed hat: see
Golgotha.—B. E. (1696);
Grose (1785).
Penwiper, subs. (venery).—1. The
female pudendum: see Monosyllable.
2. (common).—A handkerchief: see Fogle.
People, subs. (colloquial).—Any
sort of allies or connections—racial,
parental, hired, voluntary:
with or without the possessive.
At Harrow = relations or visitors:
'I've got people coming down.'
13[?]. English Gilds [E. E. T. S.], 332. Where-thurgh the Kynges lege peopell scholde be disceuyd.
1440. Generydes [E. E. T. S.], i, 1967. And what peopyll they brought among them three, Mynne Auctour seith it is a wonder to see.
1474. Caxton, Game of the Chesse [Kington-Oliphant, New English, i. 331. Caxton is fond of using peple for homines; a queen should spring of (from) honest peple, p. 27 (ed. Axon); we now often use my people for my family].
1602. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, iii. 3. You slew great number of his people.
1743. Pococke, Description of the East, i. 33. A stranger . . . being conducted . . . to the Pacha's coffee-room, is civilly entertained by his people with sweetmeats and coffee.
1790. Bruce, Source of the Nile, i. 141. Some of our people had landed to shoot.
1841. Lever, Charles O'Malley, xxxvi. Our people have not been engaged.
Pepper, subs. and verb. (old).—1.
Vigorous or persistent action.
Thus pepper, verb. = (1) to
chastise desperately by word or
deed; and (2) to pain or inconvenience
or punish: as a
pugilist by blows, cannon by shot,
or a whore by infection. Whence
(3) violent and ardent motion:
e.g. pelting rain, heavy betting,
or (in skipping) when the turn of
the rope is increased from a slow
pace to salt (q.v.), and then to
the quickest possible or pepper
(Fr. du vinaigre). Derivatives
are pepperer = (1) forcible or
rigorous attack, and (2) a hot-tempered,
active, or violent person;
peppering = a fierce attack.
As adj. (peppering or peppery)
= angry; and peppered = badly
hurt, or hurt to the death (see
Pipped): usually with a hint at
pox or clap.
1589. Nashe, Returne of Pasquill, [Works, i. 97], Mar. It is a common reporte that the faction of Martinisme hath mightie freends. Pas. Thats a bragge Marforius: yet if there be any such . . . I wyll picke out a time to pepper them.
