P (continued 3)

Apprête-toi à retourner au pré à vioque.... Tu dois t’y attendre.—Balzac.

Le —— au dab court toujours, the prison of Mazas. Le —— est en taupé, it is a bad job.

Voyons, c’est pas la peine de remonter dans vote guimbarde, le pré est en taupé d’abord.—Louise Michel.

Préfectanche, f. (thieves’), Préfecture de Police, the headquarters of the Paris police.

Préfectancier, m. (thieves’), police-officer.

Premier, m., première, f. (shopmen’s), head assistant in a linen-draper’s shop.

Premiero (military), firstly.

Premier-Paris, m. (common), leading article.

Prendre (thieves’), un rat par la queue, to steal a purse, “to fake a poge;” (gamesters’) —— la culotte, to lose a large sum of money, “to win the shiny rag;” (theatrical) —— au souffleur, to perform throughout with the aid of the prompter; —— des temps de Paris, to add to the effect of a tirade by preliminary by-play. Also to bring in by-play when one has forgotten his part and wishes to gain time; (popular) —— Jacques Déloge pour son procureur, to run away, to escape, to abscond.

Cette expression qui est encore usitée avec ces autres “prendre de la poudre d’escampette, lever le paturon, dire adieu tout bas” avait déjà cours au xviiᵉ siècle, où l’on disait surtout, en plaisantant, “Faire Jacques desloges,” pour s’enfuir.—Michel.

Prendre de l’air, to vanish, “to bunk,” see Patatrot; —— son café aux dépens de quelqu’un, to laugh at one, to quiz him; —— un billet de parterre, to fall, “to come a cropper.” A play on the words billet de parterre, pit-ticket, and par terre, on the ground. (Saint-Cyr cadets’) Prendre ses draps, to go to the guard-room under arrest, “to be roosted;” (police) —— en filature, to follow and watch a thief, to give him a “roasting.” Synonymous of “poiroter, pousser de la ficelle;” (roughs’) —— d’autor une femme, to ravish a woman; (printers’) —— une barbe, to get drunk, or “tight.”

La “barbe” a des degrés divers. “Le coup de feu” est la “barbe” commençante. Quand l’état d’ivresse est complet, la barbe est simple; elle est indigne quand le sujet tombe sous la table, cas extrêmement rare. Il est certains “poivreaux” qui commettent la grave imprudence de “promener leur barbe” à l’atelier; presque tous deviennent alors “pallasseurs,” surtout ceux qui sont taciturnes à l’état sec.—Boutmy.

“Prendre une barbe” is “to quad out” in the slang of English printers. Prendre la mesure du cul avec le pied (obsolete), to bring one’s foot in violent contact with another’s posteriors.

S’il me regarde de travers, je lui prends la mesure de son cul avec mon pied, de son mufle avec mon poing.—Dialogue, 1790.

(Military) Prendre le train d’onze heures, punishment inflicted on a soldier by his comrades, the culprit being dragged about in his bed by means of ropes attached.

Prends garde (popular), de t’enrhumer, ironical words addressed to one who is easing himself in the open air; —— de casser le verre de ta montre, recommendation shouted out to one who has just fallen; —— de te décrocher la fressure, ironical words addressed to one who is slow in his movements, “don’t lose your hair.”

Préparateur, m. (thieves’), confederate of thieves who rob shops by pairs. Termed “palming;” one thief bargaining with apparent intent to purchase, whilst the other watches his opportunity to steal.

Ceux qui remplissent le rôle de préparateurs, disposent à l’avance et mettent à part sur le comptoir les articles qu’ils désirent s’approprier: dès que tout est prêt ils font un signal à leurs affidés qui sont à l’extérieur.—Vidocq.

Préparer sa petite chapelle (military), to pack up one’s effects in the knapsack.

Preponderance à la culasse, f. (military), large breech.

Presse, f. (brothels’), la dame est sous ——, the lady is engaged. (Popular) Mettre sous ——, to pawn, “to put in lug.”

Prêt, m. (cavalry), soldiers’ pay; (prostitutes’) money allowed to a bully by a prostitute out of her earnings.

Prêter (popular), cinq louis à quelqu’un, to give one a box on the ear, “to warm the wax of one’s ear;” (thieves’) —— loche, to listen. Loche, ear, “lug.”

Prêtez loche, j’entrave cribler. Tiens, c’est vrai, c’est le clipet d’un homme.—Vidocq. (Listen, I hear someone crying out. Why, ’tis true, it’s a man’s voice.)

Prêtre, m. (thieves’), actor, “cackling cove, or mug-faker.”

Preu, m. (schools’), for premier, first; (popular) first floor.

Tiens. v’là l’bijoutier du Nᵒ. 10 qui n’s’embête pas lui: il vous a loué tout son preu?—Henri Monnier, L’Exécution.

Prévence, f. (thieves’ and cads’), for “prévention,” or remand.

Le monde s’amasse ... et les sergos s’amènent.... Moi, qui avais voulu seulement retenir Fluxion-de-Poitrine on me ramasse comme lui. Total: huit jours de prévence pour chacun.—Macé, Mon Premier Crime.

Prévôt (prisoners’), head of a prison squad; prison scout.

Priat, m. (thieves’), beads, rosary.

Priaute, f. (thieves’), church. Termed also “rampante,” and in old English cant, “autem.”

On voit bien que vous venez de la priaute car vous bigotez.—Vidocq.

Prie-Dieu, m. (thieves’), penal code.

Prima dona. See Egout.

Prin, m. (schools’), head of a school, the “gaffer.” Abbreviation of principal.

Prince, m. (popular), one who suffers from the itch. See Principauté. Prince du sang, murderer; —— russe, man who keeps a woman.

Principauté, f. (popular), the itch. A play on principauté de Galles and gale, itch. Termed in English slang, “Scotch fiddle.” “To play the Scotch fiddle,” says the Slang Dictionary, “is to work the index finger of the right hand like a fiddlestick between the index and middle fingers of the left. This provokes a Scotchman in the highest degree, as it implies that he has the itch. It is supposed that a continuous oatmeal diet is productive of cutaneous affection.” In Scotland the ejaculation, “God bless the Duke of Argyle!” is an insinuation made, when one shrugs his shoulders, of its being caused by parasites, or cutaneous affection. It is said to have been originally the thankful exclamation of the Glasgow folk at finding a certain row of iron posts, erected by his Grace in that city to mark the division of his property, very convenient to rub against. Some say the posts were put up purposely for the benefit of the good folk of Glasgow, who were at the time suffering from the “Scotch fiddle.”

Prine, wife of the “prin” (which see).

Prison, f. (popular), être dans la —— de Saint-Crépin, to have tight boots on. Saint-Crépin is the patron saint of shoemakers.

Probité, f. (thieves’), kindness.

Si je ne suis pas si gironde (gentille) j’ai un bon cœur; tu l’as vu lorsque je lui portais le pagne à la Lorcefé (la provision à la Force); c’est là qu’il a pu juger si j’avais de la probité (bonté).—Vidocq.

Problème, m. (students’), watch chain in the possession of the owner. The problem is, how comes it that such an ornament is not at the pawnshop?

Produisante, f. (thieves’), the earth.

Profonde, or parfonde, f. (thieves’), cellar; pocket, “cly, sky-rocket, or brigh.”

Retirer l’artiche de la ——, to pick a pocket, “to fake a cly.”

Proie, f. (thieves’), share, or “whack;” one’s share in the reckoning.

Prolo, m. (popular), for prolétaire, working man.

Prolonge, f. (Polytechnic School), leave up till midnight.

Promenade. See Galette.

Promener quelqu’un (popular), to make a fool of one, “to bamboozle” one.

Promoncerie, f., or promont, m. (thieves’), trial, “patter.”

Prompto (military), quickly.

Pronier, m., pronière, f. (thieves’), father, mother. Termed also “dab, dabuche.”

Proprio, m. (popular), for propriétaire, landlord.

Prose, m., or prouas, m. (popular), the behind. See Vasistas. Filer le prouas, to ease oneself. From filer le câble de proue.

Prote, m. (printers’), à manchettes, principal foreman at printing works.

C’est le véritable prote; il ne travaille pas manuellement; son autorité est incontestée. Il représente le patron vis-à-vis des clients tout aussi bien que vis-à-vis des ouvriers.—Boutmy.

Prote à tablier, workman who does duty as a foreman; —— aux gosses, senior apprentice.

Le prote à tablier est un ouvrier qui, en prenant les fonctions de prote, ne cesse pas pour cela de travailler manuellement. Le prote aux gosses est le plus grand des apprentis.—Boutmy.

Protenbarre, or vingt-deux, m. (printers’), foreman.

Prout, m. (popular), wind. Faire ——, to break wind.

Proute, f. (thieves’), complaint.

Prouter (thieves’), to complain; (popular) to call out, to holloa.

Prouteur, m., prouteuse, f. (thieves’), one who grumbles, snarling person.

Proye, m. (old cant), the behind, “one-eyed cheek.” See Prose.

Prudhomme, m. (familiar), canting individual, man who is in the habit of giving utterance to grandiloquent platitudes. From the character of Monnier’s Joseph Prudhomme. Monsieur Prudhomme, who has also been portrayed by the caricaturist Cham, is the type of the pompous, silly bourgeois. He is made to say on one occasion, “Ce sabre est le plus beau jour de ma vie,” and on another, “Le char de l’état navigue sur un volcan.”

Prudhommesque, adj. (familiar), after the fashion of Monsieur Prudhomme (which see).

Prune, f. (popular), or pruneau, bullet, or shell; —— de Monsieur Bishop. Literally a large violet-coloured plum. Prunes, testicles, or “stones.” Gober la ——, to receive a mortal wound. Avoir sa ——, to be intoxicated, or “lushy.” Mangeur de prunes, tailor, “goose-persuader, or button-catcher.”

Pruneau, m. (popular), bullet; lump of excrement, or “quaker.” Recevoir un ——, to be shot. Pruneau, quid of tobacco. Sucer un ——, to chew tobacco. Les pruneaux, the eyes, or “peepers.” Boucher ses pruneaux, to sleep, “to doss.”

Prunot, m. (popular), spirit and tobacco shop.

Prusse, f. (familiar and popular), travailler pour le roi de ——, to work to no purpose, gratis.

Prussien, m. (popular), the behind. Exhiber son ——, to take to one’s heels, to show the white feather. See Patatrot.

Pschutt, adj. and m. (familiar), un homme ——, a dandy, or “masher.” See Gommeux. Le ——, the height, or “pink” of fashion; swelldom.

Dans le palais de cette fée. On y donne des soupers où l’extrême pschutt est seul admis.—A. Sirven.

Pschutteux, m. (familiar), dandy, or “masher.” See Gommeux.

Un tas de pschutteux, gratin verdegrisé de races fainéantes, popotent dans les coins les plus chauds de l’établissement.—Louise Michel.

Puant, m. (thieves’), capuchin; (popular) swell, or “masher.” See Gommeux. Literally stinker. An allusion to the strong perfumes which sometimes are wafted from a dandy’s person.

Public, m. (officials’). Officials of an administration thus term any person who comes to the offices on business matters; (theatrical) —— de bois, ill-natured audience.

Puce, f. (popular), à l’oreille, creditor, or “dun;” —— travailleuse, “celle qui cultive le genre de dépravation attribué à Sapho la Lesbienne” (Rigaud). Secouer les puces à quelqu’un, to scold one, “to haul one over the coals,” “to bully-rag” him, or to thrash him. See Voie. Boîte à puces, bed, or “bug-walk.” Charmer les puces, to sleep. (Thieves’) Puce d’hôpital, louse, or “gold-backed ’un.”

Puceau, m. (popular), unsophisticated, soft fellow, or “flat.” Properly one who has yet his virginity.

Pucelage, m. (popular), avoir encore son ——, to be new at, not to be acquainted with the routine of some business; to have sold nothing. Pucelage, virginity.

Pucier, m. (popular), bed, “bug walk.” From puce, flea.

Pudibard, m. (popular), one who affects virtuous airs.

Puff, m. (familiar), bankruptcy.

Il serait homme à décamper gratis. Ce serait un puff abominable.—Balzac.

Also noisy, impudent eulogy.

Puffisme, m. (familiar), puffing up, quackery.

Il est écrit que le général ... passera par tous les échelons du puffisme ... le voilà qui fait crier sa biographie avec ses faits d’armes, ses blessures et son portrait pour 10 centimes.—Le Figaro, 14 Août, 1886.

Puffiste, m. (familiar), literary, political, or other kind of quack.

Puits, m. (theatrical), parler du ——, to waste one’s time in talking of useless things. (Thieves’) Badigeonner la femme au ——, to tell fibs. Alluding to Truth supposed to dwell in a well.

Puloch (Breton cant), to fight; to work hard.

Punaise, f. (general), disagreeable woman; prostitute. See Gadoue.

Une femme.—Au Bois! Boire du lait! A la vacherie du Pré-Catelan!

Toutes les autres.—Oui, le Bois!

Un chiffonnier.—Les punaises, faut toujours que ça se fourre dans le bois.—P. Mahalin.

Encore une —— dans le beurre! one more boulevard girl making her appearance on the stage! Une —— de caserne, soldier’s wench. (Popular) Avoir une —— dans le soufflet, to be crazy, “to have a tile off.” For synonyms see Avoir. (Thieves’) Attraper des punaises, to fail in one’s undertaking, or to find that one is dealing with an informer.

Punaisière, f. (popular), suspicious café frequented by habitués of low dancing halls.

Pur, m. (familiar), dandy, “masher.”

Vous ignorez complètement que de ne pas mettre de pardessus constitue actuellement ce que nous appelons être pur, ou si vous aimez mieux le chic anglais.—Evénement, 1882.

Purée, f. (thieves’), cider; (popular) —— de Corinthe, wine; —— de pois, absinthe. Faire de la —— de marrons, to strike one in the face so as to leave marks. Tomber dans la ——, or être molle, to become poor, or a “quisby.” Je déclare la ——, I haven’t a farthing, not a “rap.” (Familiar) La ——. See Absinthe. Purée septembrale (obsolete), wine.

L’indisposition qui lui étoit advenue par trop humer de purée septembrale.—Rabelais.

(Students’) Une ——, a glass of absinthe, a glass of beer being termed “un cercueil,” a glass of bitters “un pape,” and of brandy “un pétrole.” (Prostitutes’) Une ——, a man who does not show himself sufficiently generous.

Pureuse, f. (prisoners’) female prisoner in the employ of the prison authorities. Such prisoners enjoy some degree of liberty and certain privileges.

Purgation, f. (thieves’), speech for the defence.

Purge, f. (thieves’), refiler une ——, to thrash, “to set about one.” See Voie.

Purger la vaisselle (popular), to make very thin sauce.

Purotin, m. (popular and thieves’), needy man; vagrant, or “piky.”

Pur-sang, f. (familiar), handsome, elegant kept woman, a “blooming tartlet.”

Putain, f. (familiar), avoir la main ——, to shake hands with anybody. Bouture de ——, child of unknown father. Putain comme chausson is said of an extremely immoral woman.

Putasser (popular), to be fond of prostitutes, to be a “mutton-monger.”

Putasserie, f. (familiar and popular), acts of immorality on the part of a woman; the street-walking tribe.

Putassier, m. (popular), one fond of prostitutes, “mutton-monger.”

Putiner. See Putasser.

Putiphariser (familiar), is said of a woman who seeks to win a young man’s affections, and gives practical evidence thereof; to violate.