Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 5.pdf/179

 pole gets (or knocks) the most persimmons = the best man wins, the strongest party gains the day [the persimmon tree sometimes attains to 60 ft.]; the persimmon is above the huckleberry = a confession of inferiority; not a huckleberry to one's persimmon = not comparable; that's persimmon (or all persimmon) = 'That's fine.'

Perspire, verb. (colloquial).—To melt away; to vanish.

1897. Maugham, 'Liza of Lambeth, iii. The money's perspired like It got less.

Persuader, subs. (common).—A pistol or revolver; a spur or digger (q.v.); a jemmy (q.v.) or other burglar's tool; the tongue.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue; s.v. Persuaders The kiddey clapped his persuaders to his prad, but the traps boned him.

1841. Leman Rede, Sixteen String Jack, ii. 4. Dra (showing pistols). I came in with my persuader.

1886-96. Marshall, Une Affaire d'Honneur ['Pomes,' 110]. With finger nails she soon was going strong; As persuaders they were nobby, for it seems it was her hobby To invariably wear them rather long.

Persuading-plate, subs. phr. (thieves').—An iron disk used in forcing safes: it revolves on a pivot, and is fitted with a cutting point.

Pert, adj. (colloquial).—Impudent. Pert end up (American) = in good spirits; cheerful.

Pertshire Greybreeks (The), subs. phr. (military).—The 2nd Batt. Cameronian (Scottish Rifles): formerly the 90th (Perthshire Volunteers) Regiment of Foot.

Per usual. See Usual.

Pesky, adj. (American colloquial).—Troublesome; plaguy: also, as adv. = excessively.

1843-4. Haliburton, Attache, viii. He might have known how to feel for other folks, and not funkify them so peskily. Ibid, xxviii. I'm peskily sorry about that mare.

1869. H. B. Stowe, Oldtown Folks, 66. I got caught in those pesky blackberry-bushes.

1881. Harper's Monthly, May, 872. I'm fishin' for pickerel, 'n I vaow they're pesky scarce.

Pester, subs. (American colloquial).—A trouble; a bother.

1869. H. B. Stowe, Oldtown Folks, 119. The pester on't was they allers lost.

Pestle, subs. (venery).—1. The penis: see Prick: cf. mortar = female pudendum. Also, as verb. = to copulate: see Ride.

2. (old).—A constable's staff.

3. (old).—A leg: cf. 'pestle of pork,' long and still in vogue.

d.1529. Skelton, Elynour Rummyng [Dyce, i. 108]. Her kyrtell she did vptucke An ynche aboue her kne, Her legges that ye might se Myghty pestels As fayre and as whyte As the fote of a kyte.

See Knight.

Pestle-head, subs. (old).—A blockhead: see Buffle.

Pet, subs. (colloquial).—1. An angry mood; a tantrum; a fling of temper.—B. E. (c. 1696); Bailey (1748); Grose (1785). Hence, to be petted = to take offence.

1548. Barclay, Eclogue, iv. Of rascolde poetes yet is a shamfull rable Though all their cunning be scantly worth a pet.