épinards (cf. Greens); un releveur de fumeuse; un rétrousseur; un roi de la mer; un rouflaquette (in allusion to the kiss-curl); un roule-en-cul (= cunt-pensioner); un rufien (old); un sacristain (see Abbess); un serviteur; un soixante-six; un soute-*neur; un tête de patère; un trimbaleur de rouchies (or de carne pour la sêche); un valet de cœur; un visqueux.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., &c., iii. 364. They are a queer set we have to do with in the ranks. The 'pounceys' (the class I have alluded to as fancy-men, called 'pounceys' by my present informant) are far the worst.
1887. Henley, Villon's Good Night, i. You ponces good at talking tall.
Pond (The), subs. (common).—The
sea: spec, the North Atlantic
Ocean: also herring-pond
(q.v.); the big (or great)
pond (q.v.); and the puddle
(q.v.).—Grose (1785); Bee
(1823).
1722. England's Path to Wealth. A finer country, cheaper and better food . . . easier rents and taxes, will tempt many . . . to cross the herring-pond.
1729. Gay, Polly, i. 1. Bless us all! how little are our customs known on this side the herring-pond.
1838. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 3 S. xviii. He is . . . the best live one that ever cut dirt this side of the big pond, or t'other side either.
1863. Story of a Lancashire Thief, 8. A swell prig who had hooked it from London to escape being slowed, and maybe sent over the herring-pond.
1883. Sala, Living London, 204. Next time Miss Ward crosses the big pond, I . . . hope that she will cross the Rockies.
1890. Tit-Bits, 29 Mar., 388, 3. I may tell you that I came over the big pond for poisoning from jealousy. It wasn't for petty thefts.
1901. D. Telegraph, 7 Oct, 3, 5. Two gentlemen who betrayed a strong American accent . . . offered to buy the house as it stood in order "to lift it bodily across the pond."
Pong, subs, (common).—Beer: also
pongelow or pongellorum:
as verb. (1) = to drink: see
Swipes.
Verb. (theatrical).—2. To vamp a part, or (circus) = to perform; and (3) to talk, to gas (q.v.).
Pongo, subs. (showmen's).—A
monkey.
Poniard (or Ponyard), subs, (old:
long recognised).—A dagger.—B. E.
(c. 1696).
Ponte, subs, (showmen's).—Twenty
shillings. [It. pondo = pound.]
Pontie, adv. (common).—On
credit; 'on tick' (q.v.).
Pontius Pilate, subs. phr. (common).—A
pawn-broker.—Grose
(1785).
Pontius Pilate's Body-Guard,
subs. phr. (military).—The late
1st Regiment of Foot, now The
Royal Scots, the oldest regiment
in the service. [When the Régiment
de Douglas, and in the
French service [1633-78], the
officers disputed with the Picardy
regiment about the antiquity of
their corps. The Picardy men
declared they were on duty on the
night of the Crucifixion, when the
colonel of the 1st Foot replied,
"If we had been on guard, we
should not have slept at our
posts."—Brewer.]—Grose
(1785).
