1690. Durfey, Collins Walk, i. My behaviour may not yoke With the nice princums of that folk.
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Prinking . . . Prinkt-up, set up on the Cupboards-head in their best Cloaths, or in State, Stiff-starched. Mistress Princum-Prancum, such a one.
1753. Jane Collier, Art of Tormenting [Ency. Dict.]. "She was every day longer prinking in the glass than you was."
1820. Scott, Monastery, xxiv. Ay, prune thy feathers, and prink thyself gay.
Print. In print, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Exactly
in order. Out
of print = disordered; tumbled.
Quite in print = formal and
precise: see Talk.—Grose
(1785).
1621. Burton, Anat. Melan., 539. He must speak in print, walk in print, eat and drink in print.
1625. Jonson, Staple of News, i. 1. P. jun. Fits my ruff well? Lin. In print.
1851. Notes and Queries, 1 S. iv. 12. Take care, Sir, you'll put your hair out of print.
Printer's-devil. See Devil
subs., sense 2.
Printed-character, subs. phr.
(common).—A pawn-ticket; a
mortgage-deed (q.v.).
Prioress. See Better Horse.
Priscian's-head. To break
Priscian's-head, verb. phr.
(literary).—To use bad grammar.
[Lat. diminuëre Prisciani caput.
Priscian a famous grammarian of
the 5th century.]—Grose (1785).
1527-37. Ellis, Orig. Letters . . . [The well-known Father Forrest being ungrammatical is said to] breke Master Precyens hede.
1664. Butler, Hudibras, ii. ii. 219. And hold no sin so deeply red As that of breaking Priscian's head.
1728. Pope, Dunciad, iii. 161. Some, free from rhyme or reason, rule or check, Break Priscian's head, and Pegasus's neck.
1819. Byron [Life, 'To Moore']. Also if there be any further breaking of Priscian's head, will you supply the plaster.
Prittle-prattle. See Prating-cheat.
Privates, subs. (conventional).—The
organs of generation, male
or female. Also privity (of
women), privities, and privy
member. Analogous terms
(venery) are Private property
= (1) penis, and (2) the female
pudendum; privy-hole (-council
or -paradise, or privy) =
the female pudendum.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Capocchio. A woman's privitie.
1620. Percy, Folio MS., 'Fryar and Boye.' The thornes this while were rough and thicke, and did his privy members pricke.
1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie Works (17..), 21]. When on Grounsel He firkt her Mother's Privy-counsel.
To Private stitch, verb. phr. (tailors').—To conceal the thread in stitching.
Private-business, subs. phr.
(Eton).—Extra work done with
a tutor.
Privy, subs. (colloquial).—An outdoor
cesspool.
1647. Fletcher, Noble Gent., v. 1. Lay all night for fear of puirsuivants In Burgundy privy-house.
1662. Rump Songs, i. 104. I hid myself i' the Privy.
1746. T. Warton, Prog. of Discontent. This awkward hut, o'ergrown with ivy, We'll alter to a modern privy.
See Private.
