Society" for reading and debates. [Supposed to be a contraction of 'Popina,' the rooms having been for many years over a cook-shop or confectioner's.—See Public School Word Book.]
1865. Etoniana, 207. The chief attraction of Pop lies in its being a sort of social club . . . and as the members are strictly limited (originally twenty-two, since increased to twenty-eight), to be elected into the society gives a boy a certain degree of prestige in the school.
Verb., with subs. and adv. (old).—Generic for more or less quick, unexpected, and explosive action. Whence, (1) = to shoot: as subs. (or popper) = (1) a shop, and (2) a firearm: spec. a pistol, but in quot. 1383, a dagger (Hall, 1714; Grose, 1785; Vaux, 1819; and Bee, 1823); (2) = to crack—as a whip; (3) = to explode—as a hat when sat on, or a cork when drawn: as subs. = (a) a drink which fizzes from the bottle when opened—spec. ginger-beer, but in quot. 1836 = champagne (Grose, 1785; Bee, 1823), and (b) the noise made in drawing a cork; and (4) = to rap out one's words: whence popping = babbling. Also, as adv. = suddenly or unexpectedly. See also many allied colloquialisms infra.
1383. Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, 3929. A joly poppere baar he in his pouche.
1621. Fletcher, Pilgrim, iii. 2. Into that bush Pop goes his pate, and all his face is comb'd over.
1724. Harper, 'Frisky Moll's Song' [Harlequin Jack Sheppard]. Two popps Had my Boman when he was ta'en.
1748. Smollett, Roderick Random, viii. A pair of pops silver mounted . . . I took them from the captain. Ibid. (1749), Gil Bias [Routledge], 345. We were startled out of our sleep by the report of musketry popping so near.
1821. Haggart, Life, 98. I plunged my fam into my sack, as if for a pop.
1829. Moncrieff, Giovanni in London, ii. 1. Made up your mind to have a pop at him.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford (1854), 296. Lord love ye, they says as 'ow you go to all the fine places in ruffles, with a pair of silver pops in your waistcoat pocket!
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, iii. v. His crape-covered vizard drawn over his eyes, His tol by his side and his pops in his pocket.
1834. Buckstone, Agnes de Vere, ii. 3. I've an excellent case of poppkrs here that I always keep loaded for such occasions.
1836. Milner, Turpin's Ride to York, i. 3. It is not even safe to hunt without pops in your pocket. Ibid. Damn the popper! we must be off to Yorkshire now.
1836. Hood, Miss Kilmansegg [Works (1846), i. 246]. Home-made pop that will not foam.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, i. 277. With wine and naygus and imperial pop.
1844. Marryat, The Settlers, i. vi. 103. "Fowling-pieces,—they are bird-guns, I believe,—no use at all; muskets are soldiers' tools,—no use; pistols are pops, and nothing better."
1845. Browning, Englishman in Italy. And all around the glad church lie old bottles With gunpowder stopped, Which will be, when the Image re-enters, Religiously popped. Ibid. More poppers bang.
1847. Porter, Quarter Race, &c., 95. He'd pop his whip, and stretch his chains, and holler 'wo, gee!'
1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, 150. The rascal went to his coach, jumped on the box, popped his whip and wiggled his fingers at me as he drew off.
1848. Lowell, Biglow Papers, Intro. Past noontime they went trampin' round An' nary thing to pop at found.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., &c., i. 187. Not above one-eighth . . . but sell with their pop some other article.
1857. Holmes, Autocrat of Breakfast Table, viii. A hat which has been popped, or exploded by being sat down upon, is never itself again afterwards.
