Part 60 (1/2)

PRINCE PRIG. A king of the gypsies; also the head thief or receiver general.

PRINCES. When the majesty of the people was a favourite terra in the House of Commons, a celebrated wit, seeing chimney sweepers dancing on a May-day, styled them the young princes.

PRINCOD. A pincus.h.i.+on. SCOTCH--Also a round plump man or woman.

PRINc.o.x. A pert, lively, forward fellow.

PRINc.u.m PRANc.u.m. Mrs. Princ.u.m Pranc.u.m; a nice, precise, formal madam.

PRINKING. Dressing over nicely: prinked up as if he came out of a bandbox, or fit to sit upon a cupboard's head.

PRINT. All in print, quite neat or exact, set, screwed up.

Quite in print; set in a formal manner.

PRISCIAN. To break Priscian's head; to write or speak false grammar. Priscian was a famous grammarian, who flourished at Constantinople in the year 525; and who was so devoted to his favourite study, that to speak false Latin in his company, was as disagreeable to him as to break his head.

PRITTLE PRATTLE. Insignificant talk: generally applied to women and children.

PROG. Provision. Rum prog; choice provision. To prog; to be on the hunt for provision: called in the military term to forage.

PROPS. Crutches.

PROPERTY. To make a property of any one; to make him a conveniency, tool, or cat's paw; to use him as one's own.

PROUD. Desirous of copulation. A proud b.i.t.c.h; a b.i.t.c.h at heat, or desirous of a dog.

PROVENDER. He from whom any money is taken on the highway: perhaps provider, or provider. CANT.

PROPHET. The prophet; the c.o.c.k at Temple Bar: so called, in 1788, by the bucks of the town of the inferior order.

PRUNELLA. Mr. Prunella; a parson: parson's gowns being frequently made of prunella.

To PRY. To examine minutely into a matter or business.

A prying fellow; a man of impertinent curiosity, apt to peep and inquire into other men's secrets.

PUBLIC MAN. A bankrupt.

PUBLIC LEDGER. A prost.i.tute: because, like that paper, she is open to all parties.

PUCKER. All in a pucker; in a dishabille. Also in a fright; as, she was in a terrible pucker.

PUCKER WATER. Water impregnated with alum, or other astringents, used by old experienced traders to counterfeit virginity.

PUDDINGS. The guts: I'll let out your puddings.

PUDDING-HEADED FELLOW. A stupid fellow, one whose brains are all in confusion.

PUDDING SLEEVES. A parson.

PUDDING TIME. In good time, or at the beginning of a meal: pudding formerly making the first dish. To give the crows a pudding; to die. You must eat some cold pudding, to settle your love.