2. (old).—A person of ripe age: see Antique.
d.1605. Stow [Century]. He will soon be a peeled garlic like myself.
Pilgrim, subs. (American).—1. See
quot.
1875. L. Swinburne [in Scribner's Monthly, 11. 508]. Pilgrim and 'tenderfoot' were formerly applied almost exclusively to newly imported cattle, but by a natural transference they are usually used to designate all new-comers, tourists, and business-men.
2. (Western American).—In pl. = cattle on the drive.
1889. Roosevelt, Ranch Life. Pilgrims . . . that is animals driven up on the range from the South, and therefore in poor condition.
Pilgrim's-salve, subs. phr. (old).—Excrement;
shit (q.v.).—Grose
(1785).
1670. Mod. Account of Scotland [Harl. Misc., vi. 137]. The whole pavement is pilgrim-salve, most excellent to liquor shoes withal, and soft and easy for the bare-footed perambulators.
Pilgrim's-staff, subs. phr.
(venery).—The penis: see Prick.
Pill, subs. (common).—1. A black
balloting ball: see Blackball.
Also as verb. = to reject by ballot.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, xxx. He was coming on for election at Bays, and was as nearly pilled as any man I ever knew in my life.
1901. Free Lance, 27 Ap., 74, 1. The ex-acrobat, as every one knows, was badly pilled—some people being malicious enough to say that, although he had a proposer and a seconder, there was not a single white ball!
2. (common).—A disagreeable or objectionable person; a bore (q.v.): also of events—'a bitter pill.'
a.1556. Udall, Luke IV. [Century]. Yet cannot thei abyde to swallow down the holsome pille of viritie, being bitter in their mouths.
1580. Lyly, Euphues, 468. Thinking . . . that the time was past to wo[o]e hir . . . I digested the Pill which had almost [choakt] me.
1595. Shakspeare, Two Gentlemen, ii. 4. Val. O, flatter me; for love delights in praises. Pro. When I was sick you gave me bitter pills, And I must minister the like to you.
1749. Smollett, Gil Blas [Routledge], 191. This decision was a bitter pill for me to swallow.
c.1801. Jefferson, To Madison [Bancroft, Hist. Const., i. 430. He said the renunciation of this interest was a bitter pill which they could not swallow.
1897. Maugham, 'Liza of Lambeth, iii. Well, you are a pill.
3. (common).—A drink; a go (q.v.): see Drinks.
4. (American).—A bullet: also blue-pill (q.v.).
18[?]. Drake's Mag., 'He Died Game' [S. J. and C.]. He had always told him he'd run plumb ag'in' a pill some day if he wan't blanked careful like.
Verb. 1. See subs. 1.
2. (University).—To twaddle; to talk platitudes.
The Pills, subs. phr. (military).—The Royal Army Medical Corps. Also "The Licensed Lancers"; "The Poultice Wallopers"; and "The Linseed Lancers." Also (generally) pills = a doctor or surgeon.
1899. Cassell's Saturday Journal, 15 March, 1, 1. "Pills, are they all mad on board that vessel, or merely drunk, as usual?"
To gild the pill, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To sweeten a bitter thing, soften a hard thing, beautify an ugly thing, explain away a sure thing; to present the inevitable as though it were optional: to gammon (q.v.). Also pill.
