1891. Lic. Vict. Gaz., 3 Ap. The chief bank official . . . told him pretty plainly that he must now pull up, and arrangements made in regard to certain over-due acceptances.
1896. Crane, Maggie, xiv. 'She was pulling m' leg, That's the whole amount of it,' he said.
1898. Whiteing, John St., xxix. I am working up a little affair of my own just now . . . but I'm not sure I shall be able to pull it off.
1901. Troddles, 38. He certainly didn't perceive that Wilks was pulling his leg, and he stammered out expressions of gratitude.
Pulled-trade, subs. phr. (tailors').
—Secured work.
Pullet (poulet or pulley), subs.
(colloquial).—(1) A girl of tender
years. Hence pullet-squeezer
= an amateur of young girls; a
CHICKEN-FANCIER (q.v.); VIRGIN-PULLET
= 'a young woman
. . . who though often trod has
never laid.'—Bee (1823). Also
2 (thieves') = a female confederate.
Pulling-TIME, subs, phr. (provincial).—See
quot.
1847. Halliwell, Arch. and Prov. Words, s.v. Pulling-time. The evening of a fair-day, when the wenches are pulled about.
Pullman-pup, subs. phr. (railway).
—See quot.
1890. Tit-Bits, 1 Nov. The Midland night Scotch train from Leeds runs in front of the London Scotch train, and is therefore nicknamed the Pullman Pup.
PULLY-HAULY, adj. phr. (colloquial).
—Rough-and-tumble:
HAUL DEVIL, PULL BAKER (q.v.).
TO PLAY AT PULLY-HAULY,
verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate:
see Greens and Ride.—Grose
(1785).
Pulpit, subs. (venery).—The female
pudendum: see Monosyllable.
1656. Choice Drollery, 44. Quoth she, the Son is prov'd a Daughter. But be content, if God doth blesse the Baby, She has a Pulpit where a Preacher may be.
c. 1685-95. Broadside Ballad [Roxburghe Ballads (Brit. Mus.), ii. 73] 'The Country Parson's Folly.' He pitch'd on a subject was hard by the rump, And into her Pulpit he straightways did jump, Where all the night long he her cushion did thump.
Pulpit-cuffer (drubber, drummer,
SMITER, Or THUMPER),
subs. phr. (common).—A ranting
parson; a cushion-thumper
(q.v.). Whence pulpit-cuffing
(&c.) = violent exhortation.
1699. Brown [Works (1715), i. 209]. A pulpit-drubber by profession, who knows all the witches forms in the kingdom.
1706. Ward, Hud. Redivivus, vi. 10. Thought I, for all your pulpit-drumming, Had you no Hose to hide your Bum in.
Pulpiteers, subs. (Winchester
College).—See quot.
1891. Wrench, Winchester Word Book, s.v. Pulpiteers. An arrangement during Cloister-time of Sixth Book and Senior Part V. going up to books together . . . Middle and Junior Part taken together were called Cloisters.
Pulse. To feel one's pulse,
verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To
gauge opinions, views, feelings,
&c.; TO SOUND (q.v.); TO TAKE
ONE'S MEASURE (q.v.).
d. 1843. Southey, Letters, iv. 139. So much matter has been ferretted out that this Government wishes to tell its own story, and my pulse was felt.
2. (venery).—To grope a woman.
1648-50. Brathwayte, Barnaby's Jl. (1723), 50, 51. Thence to Meredin did steer I, Where grown foot-sore and sore weary, I repos'd where I chuck'd Joan-a, Felt her pulse (Hopitem in genu cepi).
