1810. Evans, i. 23, 'Yorkshire Song.' And there was neither fault nor fray, Nor any disorder any way, But every man did pitch and pay.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 390. Pitching the hunters is the three sticks a penny, with the snuff-boxes stuck upon sticks; if you throw your stick, and they fall out of the hole, you are entitled to what you knock off.
1863. Story of a Lancashire Thief, Brummagem Joe, a cove as could patter and pitch the fork with any one.
1867. London Herald, 23 March, 222, 2. If he had had the sense to appeal for help, and pitch them a tale, he might have got off.
1876. Hindley, Cheap Jack. When Elias was at a pleasure fair, he would pitch the hunters, that is, put up the three sticks a penny business.
1901. Punch, 25 Dec, 461, 1. We were pitching into the umpire.
Pitch-and-fill, subs. phr. (rhyming).—Bill.
Pitched, adj. and adv. (tailors').—Cut
(q.v.).
Pitcher, subs. (venery).—1. The
female pudendum. Also the
miraculous pitcher ('that
holds water with the mouth
downwards'). Whence, cracked-pitcher
= a harlot with a certain
pretension to repute; to
crack a pitcher = to deflower.
See Monosyllable.—Grose
(1785).
1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, iii. 2. My daughter is a girl of reputation, though she has been seen in your company; but . . . she is resolved never more to venture her pitcher to the well.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Clinker [Works (1899), iii. 92]. Though my being thought capable of making her a mother might have given me some credit, the reputation of an intrigue with such a cracked pitcher does me no honour at all.
2. (old).—Newgate prison: also the stone pitcher or (jug): see Cage.—Vaux (1819).
3. (thieves').—See Snide-pitcher.
Pitchers have ears! phr. (colloquial).—'Listeners may overhear': also (of children) little pitchers have long (or great) ears = What children hear at home soon flies abroad: Fr. Ce que l'enfant oit au foyer, est bientót connu jusqu'au Monstier.—Heywood (1546); Bailey (1728).
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of the Shrew, iv. 4. Not in my house, Lucentio, for, you know Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants.
Other colloquialisms are:—To get the sheards after the pitcher is broken (Ray, 1760) = to receive a kindness after others have no need of it, or to get the refuse; to bang a pitcher = to drain a pot. See also Crocus-pitcher.
Pitcher-bawd, subs. phr. (old).—See
quot.
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Pitcher-bawd. The poor Hack that runs of Errands to fetch Wenches or Liquor.
Pitcher-man, subs. phr. (old).—A
drunkard; a tickle-pitcher.
See Lushington.
1738. Poor Robin [Nares]. For not one shoemaker in ten But are boon blades, true pitcher-men.
Pitch-fingers, subs. phr. (colloquial).—A
pilferer: also tar-fingers
(q.v.). Whence pitch-fingered
= thievishly inclined.
Pitchfork, subs. (common).—A
tuning-fork.
Verb. (colloquial).—To thrust into a position; to toss, or settle carelessly.
