Verb. (colloquial).—1. To question artfully; to make one tell without knowing he's telling; TO sound (q.v.). Hence, as subs. = an indirect question; 'Your pump is good but the sucker's dry!' = a retort or an attempt TO pump.—B.E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785).
1633. Jonson, Tale of a Tub, iv. iii. I'll stand aside whilst thou pump'st out of him His business.
d.1635. Randolph, Muses' Looking Glass, ii. 4. I'll in to pump my dad, and fetch thee more.
1668. Dryden, An Evening's Love, iii. Markall, pump the woman; and see if you can discover anything to save my credit.
1693. Congreve, Old Batchelor, v. 4. She was pumping me about how your worship's affairs stood.
1740. Richardson, Pamela, 1. 208. For all her pumps, she gave no hint.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, xi. vi. She therefore ordered her maid to pump out of him by what means he had become acquainted with her person.
1826. Buckstone, Death Fetch, ii. 2. She wants to pump me, but two words to that bargain.
1837. Dickens, Pickwick, xvi. Undergoing the process of being pumped.
1847. Thackeray, Vanity Fair, vii. But old Tinker was not to be pumped by this little cross-questioner.
1886-96. Marshall, 'Pomes' from the Pink 'Un ['The Age of Love'], 26. So she sought him and gently pumped him.
1893. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 32. I've parted so free to the coachies, and artfully put on the pump.
2. (old colloquial).—To duck under the pump: also to give A TASTE OF THE PUMP (B.E., c.1696, and Grose, 1785); 'Christened with pump-water,' said of a red-faced boy or girl (Ray, 1760, and Grose, 1785).
1839. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard [1889], 13. If he don't tip the cole without more ado, give him a taste of the pump, that's all.
3. (colloquial).—To go breathless; TO WIND (q.v.); PUMPED OUT (or dry) = completely blown.—B.E. (c.1696). Hence pumper = anything that pumps: as counsel, a race, a course, a spurt, &c.
1860. Russell, Diary in India, 11. 370. Darkness began to set in, the artillery horses were pumped out, and orders were given to retire.
1882. Field, 28 Jan. Tiger . . . had all the best of a long pumping course.
1888. Sportsman, 28 Nov. She came on the scene when Bismarck was quite pumped out.
5. (common).—To vomit; to CAST UP ACCOUNTS (q.v.).—Grose (1785).
6. (American).—To steal.
1824. Atlantic Mag., 1. 344. Vot I vants to show is the vay in which she pumped my fob this ere mornin'.
7. (common).—To cry.
1837. Marryat, Snarley-Yow. And she did pump While I did jump In the boat to say, Good bye.
Pump-and-Tortoises (The),
subs. phr. (military).—The late
38th Regiment of Foot, now the
1st Batt. South Staffordshire
Regiment.
Pumpkin, subs. (old).—1. See quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. "Pompkin, a man or woman of Boston, America, from the number of pompkins raised and eaten by the people of that country. Pompkins-hive, for Boston and its dependencies."
2. (common).—The head: see Crumpet and Tibby.
3. (American).—The female pudendum: see Monosyllable: whence pumpkin-cover = the pubic hair: see Fleece. [From the shape of a pumpkin seed.]
