Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 5.pdf/167

 1897. Mitford, Romance Cape Frontier, ii. xv. Better fan than pegging out with only the sooty-faced niggers prodding away at you.

2. (colloquial).—To be ruined; quisby (q.v.)

To be pegged out, verb. phr. (common).—See quot.

1886. Tit-bits, 31 July, 252. Being pegged out (i.e. too notorious) in the neighbourhood, he begged by proxy.

On the peg, phr. (military).—1. Under arrest; roosted (q.v.).

2. (military).—Under stoppage of pay; fined.

To put on the peg, verb. phr. (military).—To pull oneself up (or together); to be careful: as of drink, behaviour, etc.

To peg up. See verb., sense 7.

There are always more round pegs than round holes, phr. (colloquial).—There are always more candidates than places.

Old Peg., subs. phr. (old).—See quot.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Peg. Old Peg, poor hard Suffolk or Yorkshire Cheese.

Pegasus. To break Pegasus's neck, verb. phr. (old).—To write halting verse.

1728. Pope, Dunciad, iii. 161. Some, free from rhyme or reason, rule or check, Break Priscian's head, and Pegasus's neck.

Peggy, subs, (common).—A slender poker, disposedly bent at right angles for the purpose of raking the fire: cf. rector and curate.

Peg-leg, subs. phr. (common).—A wooden legged man or woman.

Pego, subs, (venery).—The penis: see Prick. [Gr. pege = a fountain.]—Grose (1785); Halliwell (1847).

1709. Ward, London Spy, ii. 8. Pego like an upstart Hector Would fain have rul'd as Lord Protector, Inflam'd by one so like a goddess, I scarce cou'd keep him in my codpiece.

Peg Puff, subs. phr. (Scots').—An old young woman: cf. old ewe dressed lamb-fashion.

Pegtops, subs. (obsolete).—In pl. = Trousers: very wide at the hips and narrowing down to a tight-fit at the ancles.

1859. Farrar, Julian Home, xx. His tailor  produced  the cut-away coat, and mauve-coloured pegtops.

1861. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, lxvi. Pegtops, and a black bowler hat.

1864. Le Fanu, Uncle Silas, xlvi. Dudley, in a flagrant pair of cross-barred pegtops approaching our refined little party with great strides.

1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 24. 'Im with the peg-tops and pipe.

1892. Gunter, Miss Dividends, iii. Trousers that are cut in what was then called the peg-top pattern.

Peg Trantum. Gone to Peg Trantum's, phr. (old).—Dead: see Hop the Twig. [Peg Trantum (provincial) = a wild romping girl.]—Grose (1785).

Pek. See Peck.

Pelican State, subs. phr. (American).—Louisiana. [From its armorial bearings, the bird being common in the State.]

Pell-mell, adv. (old: now recognised).—In confusion; 'higgledy-piggledy.'—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785). Also as subs. and verb.