see Queen Dick; cold pig = (1) see ante and add 'Grose, 1785'; (2) goods on sale when returned (Bee, 1823); and (3, medical) = a corpse, dead-meat (q.v.); to have boiled pig at home = to be master in one's house (Grose: an allusion to a well-known poem and story); brandy is Latin for pig and goose = an excuse for a dram after either (Grose); please the pigs = 'If circumstances permit,' 'Deo volente'; long (or -masked) pig = human flesh: exposed openly for sale in Hayti under this name; to teach a pig to play on a flute = to attempt the absurd or impossible; 'When a pig is proffered, hold up the poke' = 'Never refuse a good offer'; 'You can't make horn of pig's tail' (see Sow's ear); to mistake a pig for a dog = to act stupidly; child's pig but father's bacon = a pretended benefit: as when a pet animal is sold; to grease a fat pig (or sow) on the arse (Ray) = to be insensible of a kindness.
1383. Chaucer, Reeves Tale, l. 358. And in the floor, with nose and mouth to broke, They walwe as doon two pigges in a poke.
14[?]. Douce MS. 52. When me profereth the pigge, open the poghe.
1546. Heywood, Proverbs, s.v. To pull the wrong pig by the ear.
1634. Withal, Dict., 583. Terra volat, pigs flie in the ayre with their tayles forward.
1678. Cotton, Scoffer Scoft [Works (1725) 257]. He will not buy a pig a poke in: But wisely will bring all things out, And see within doors and without.
1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie [Works (1725) 122]. Thou hast of Hope not one Spark left, Th' hast brought thy Hogs to a fair Market.
d.1682. T. Brown, Works, ii. 198. I'll have one of the wigs to carry into the country with me, and please the pigs.
1708-10. Swift, Polite Conversations, ii. 455. I'gad he fell asleep, and snored so loud that we thought he was driving his hogs to market.
1748. Smollett, Roderick Random, xv. Strap with a hideous groan observed that we had brought our pigs to a fine market. Ibid., Hump Clinker (1771). Roger may carry his pigs to another market.
d.1819. Wolcot ('Peter Pindar')[Bee]. 'And then for why, the folk do rail; To stuff an old fat pig i' th' tail,—Old gripus of Long-Leat.'
1853. Lytton, My Novel, v. xvii 'Please the pigs,' then said Mr. Avenel to himself, 'I shall pop the question.'
1890. Boldrewood, Squatter's Dream, 50. Of course I must see them . . . I never buy a pig in a poke.
1896. Stevenson, South Seas [Edin. xx. 84]. While the drums were going twenty strong . . . the priests carried up the blood-stained baskets of long pig.
1900. Nisbet, Sheep's Clothing, 201. He felt that he had sold his pigs in a bad market. If he had waited he might have met the right woman with even a larger dower.
Pig and tinder-box, subs. phr.
(old).—The Elephant and Castle.
1821. Egan, Life in London, ii. iii. Toddle to the Pig and Tinder-box, they have got a drap of comfort there.
Pig and Whistle Light Infantry
(The), subs. phr. (military).—The
Highland Light Infantry,
formerly the 71st and 74th Regiments
of Foot.
Pig-eater, subs. (old).—An endearment.
Pigeon (or Stool-pigeon), subs.
(old).—1. A dupe; a Gull (q.v.);
a fly (q.v.): cf. rook and
spider [cf. Thackeray's title,
Captain Rook and Mr. Pigeon].
Hence, as verb. (or to pluck a
pigeon = to swindle.) Fr. un
