Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 5.pdf/202

 1822. Galt, Entail, i. 9. I would be nane surprised the morn to hear that the Nebuchadnezzar was a' gane to pigs and whistles, and driven out wi' the divors bill to the barren pastures of bankruptcy.

Pig-sconce, subs. (old).—A lout; a dullard: see Buffle.

1659. Massinger, City Madam, iii. 1. Ding. He is no pig-sconce mistress. Secret. He has an excellent headpiece.

1879. Meredith, Egoist, xxxvii. These representatives of the pig-sconces of the population.

Pig's-ear (or -lug), subs. phr. (tailors').—A very large lappel collar or flap.

Pig's-foot, subs. phr. (American).—A short cloven crowbar; a jemmy (q.v.)

Pigskin, subs. (racing).—A saddle. Hence knight of the pigskin = a jockey.

d.1870. Dickens [quoted in Century]. He was my governor, and no better master ever sat in pig-skin.

1898. Sporting Times, 26 Nov., 3, 3. After a few days' rest he was in the saddle and has again electrified English turf followers by riding rings around their crack knights of the pigskin.

Pigsney, subs. phr. (old).—A girl: an endearment: see Titter. Hence (2), a woman's eye.—B. E. (c.1696); Grose (1785).

13[?] Chaucer, Remedie of Loue [Ency. Dict.]. Come hither, ye piggesnye, ye little babe.

d.1529. Skelton [Dyce, Works, i. 20, 19]. Good mastres Anne What prate ye, praty pyggsney.

1534. Udall, Roister Doister [Arber, i. 4, p. 27]. Then ist mine oune pygs nie, and blessing on my hart.

1580. Sidney, Arcadia, 277. Miso, mine own pigsnie, thou shalt have news of Dametas.

d.1588. Tarleton, Horse Loade of Fooles [Halliwell]. The player fooles deare darling pigsnie.

1594. Lyly, Mother Bombie, ii. 2. Pigsnie is put up, and I'le let him take the aire.

1621. Burton, Anat. Melan. iii., ii. 4, 1. All the pleasant names may be invented; bird lamb, puss  pigsney, hony, love, dove he puts on her.

1665, Homer-a-la-Mode [Nares]. As soon as she close to him came, She spake and call'd him by his name Pigsny, Quoth she, tell me who made it cry.

Pig-sticker, subs. (common).—1. A pork-butcher.

2. (common).—A long-bladed pocket-knife; and (3) a sword.

Pig-sty, subs. phr. (printers').—1. The press-room. See Pig, subs. sense 4.

2. (common).—A place of abode or business: see Diggings.

Pig's-whisper, subs. phr. (common) = 1. A grunt.

2. (common).—A very short space of time [i.e., as brief as a grunt]. Bee (1823). Also (American), pig's-whistle.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xxxii. You'll find yourself in bed in something less than a pig's whisper.

Pig-tail, subs. (colloquial).—1. A Chinaman.

2. (Stock Exchange).—In pl. = the Shares of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China: see Stock Exchange.

Pig-yoke, subs. phr. (nautical).—A quadrant.

1836. Marryat, Midshipman Easy, xiv. Mesby agreed with Jack that this was the 'ne plus ultra' of navigation; and that old Smallsole could not do better with his pig-yoke and compasses.