1605. Bacon, Adv. of Learning, ii. 355. The wisdom of a lawmaker consisteth not only in a platform of justice, but in the application thereof.
1641-2. Milton, Reas. Ch. Government, i. Some . . . do not . . . grant that church discipline is platformed in the Bible.
d. 1732. Bishop Atterbury, Sermons, ii. xiii. Every little society . . . imposed the platform of their doctrine, discipline, and worship as divine.
1848. New York Herald, 6 May. The Whigs, whether on the Lexington platform, or some other non-committal platform, will be and must be at once known as the party that opposed their country in her just and generous war.
d. 1865. Lincoln [in Raymond, p. 86]. In the Chicago platform there is a plank on this subject.
d. 1878. S. Bowles [Merriam, i. 291]. We want two planks—non-extension of slavery, and state reform.
1888. Louisville Courier Journal, Feb. Mr. Cleveland will be re-nominated by acclamation. His message will be his platform.
Platter-face, subs. (old).—A
broad or flat face: also as adj.:
see Dial.—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose
(1785).
Plausible, adj. (recognised).—Specious;
persuasive.—B. E. (c. 1696).
Play, subs. (venery).—Copulation:
see Greens and Ride. Hence,
foul play = adultery; fair
play = fornication; playfellow
= a lover, mistress, husband, or
wife; plaything = (1) a mistress,
and (2) the penis (as in the
proverb, 'A fool's bauble (q.v.)
is a lady's plaything': cf. Toy);
love's playground = (1) the
female pudendum, and (2) a bed:
see Monosyllable and Kip. As
verb.—(1) to wanton (Bailey),
and (2) to copulate: also to play
with; to play the woman
(the wanton, the fool, or the
ace against the jack) = to
grant the favour; to play the
goat = to fornicate hard; TO
play off (or with oneself) = to
masturbate: see Frig; playsome
(Bailey) = wanton. See Beast,
Wily-beguiled, Tail, &c.
1383. Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. 87. On a day this hende Nicholas Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye. Ibid., 13,352. Let us laugh and play, Ye shal my joly body han to wedde: By God I n'ill not pay you but a-bedde.
1393. Gower, Confess. Aman., i. She bygan to plaie and rage, As who saith, I am well enough.
c. 1520. Mayd Emlyn [Hazlitt, E. Pop. Poetry, iv. 94 ]. To ease her louer She toke another, That lustely conde do . . . With her lusty playe.
d. 1529. Skelton, Elynour Rummyng, 219. Ich am not cast away, That can my husband say, Whan we kys and play In lust and in lykyng. Ibid. [Dyce, Works, i. 24, 37]. For your jentyll husband sorowfull am I; . . . he is not the first hath had a loss . . . warke more secretly . . . Playe fayre, madam . . . Or with gret shame your game wylbe sene.
d. 1549. Borde, Mylner of Abyngton [Hazlitt, Early Pop. Poet., iii. 109]. Of her he had his will ynough, And plaide them togyther. When the clarke had done his will, By the damosell he lay full stil.
1603. Shakspeare, Meas. for Meas., i. 4. He hath got his friend with child . . . I would . . . play with all virgins so.
1608. Shakspeare, Pericles, i. [Gower]. The beauty of this sinful dame made many princes thither frame, To seek her as a bedfellow: In marriage-pleasures playfellow.
1612. Webster, White Devil, iv. 4. I do suspect my mother played foul play, When she conceiv'd thee.
1749. Smollett, Gil Blas [Routledge], 93. The favours which my goddess winked at my snatching . . . fell short of the only perfect issue . . . Said I, this lady . . . thinks it beneath her quality to play the very woman at the first interview. Ibid., 190. Though noblemen . . . attach themselves to pretty playthings like yourself, it is highly unbecoming in you to forget your proper distance.
