Dictionary: PE – PEC


• PEA
n. a peanut …1954 Amer. dial.
 
• THE PEA
n. the person in authority; the boss …1969 Aust. sl.
 
• PEA-BRAIN
n. a foolish or unintelligent person; an empty-headed person …1959 colloq.
 
• PEA-BRAINED
adj. foolish, slow-witted, unintelligent, stupid …1950 sl.
 
• PEACEBREAKER
 n. a disruptive person; a troublemaker …1873 Amer. dial.

• PEACE DISTURBER
n. a disruptive person; a troublemaker …1965 Amer. dial.
 
PEACH
n. 1. 1754 sl. – a sexually attractive woman
n. 2. 1863 sl. – an excellent person or thing
n. 3. Bk1902 sl. – an omnibus spy
n. 4. Bk1913-17 colloq. – a person or thing that is especially pleasing; anything especially choice; something stylish and up-to-date
n. 5. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something beautiful or attractive
vb. 15C sl. – to inform against an accomplice; to tell or tattle; to give information
 
PEACHAGULU
adj. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – splendid, excellent
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something beautiful or attractive
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
 
PEACHALULU
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something beautiful or attractive
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – an attractive girl
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
 
PEACHAMAROOT
n. 1. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – someone or something very fine, splendid or excellent
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something beautiful or attractive
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – an attractive girl
 
PEACHAROONEY
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – excellent; first-rate
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – something splendid, fine, or excellent 
 
PEACHERINE
n. 1900 sl., chiefly US – one who has attractive qualities; anything especially choice; an excellent person or thing; a sexually attractive person or thing
 
PEACHERINO
n. 1900 sl., chiefly US – a particularly pleasing person or thing; something or someone very fine, splendid, or excellent; a sexually attractive person
 
PEACHEROO
n. 1. 1900 sl., chiefly US – a sexually attractive person
n. 2. 1900 sl. – an excellent person or thing
 
PEACHEROONEY
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
 
PEACHES
adj. 1. L19 US teen sl. – attractive, sexually alluring
adj. 2. 1910s US sl. – fine, excellent
n. 1. 1920s African-American sl. – the male genitals
n. 2. 1920s African-American sl. – the vagina
n. 3. 1980s US homosexual sl. – the buttocks
n. 4. 1960s African-American sl. – a hermaphrodite
n. 5. 1960s drug culture sl. – Dexedrine
 
PEACHES AND PEARS
n. M19 rhyming sl. – stairs
 
PEACH-FUZZ
adj. 1990s Amer. sl. – young; inexperienced
n. 1950s homosexual sl. – an attractive teenager
 
• PEACH-LIMB TEA
n. a whipping; punishment with  peach tree switch …1941 Amer. dial.
 
• PEACH-ORCHARD BEAU
n. a clandestine sweetheart or lover …1949 Amer. dial.
 
• PEACH-ORCHARD BOAR
n. a man who is sexually passionate and unrestrained …1953 Amer. dial.
 
• PEACH-ORCHARD CRAZY
adj. very passionate, licentious …1953 Amer. dial.
 
• PEACH TREE
n. a hermaphrodite …1960s African-American sl.
 
• PEACH-TREE OIL
n. a whipping; punishment with  peach tree switch …1940 Amer. dial.
 
• PEACH-TREE TEA
n. a whipping; punishment with  peach tree switch …1912 Amer. dial.
 
PEACHY
adj. 1. 1900 Amer. sl. – excellent, wonderful; great, fine, splendid
adj. 2. 1926 sl. – sexually attractive
 
• PEACHY-KEEN
adj. excellent, wonderful; great …1955 Amer. sl.
 
• PEACIFIED
adj. pacified, peaceable …1952 Amer. dial.
 
• PEACIFY
vb. to make calm, to pacify; to soothe, quiet, or subdue …1886 rare
 
• PEACOCK
vb. to acquire the best pieces of land in such a way that the surrounding land is useless to others …Aust. obs. sl.
 
• PEACOCKIZE
vb. to act the peacock; to strut about vainly …1598 obs. rare
 
• THE PEADODDLES
n. the jitters, nervousness …1835 Amer. dial.
 
• THE PEADOODLES
n. the jitters, nervousness …1992 Amer. dial.
 
• PEA-EATER
n. a French person …1966 Amer. dial.
 
PEA EYE
n. 1. 1966 Amer. dial. – a small, round eye
n. 2. 1975 Amer. dial. – a Prince Edward Islander; broadly, anyone from any of the Canadian Maritime Provinces
 
• PEA-EYED
adj. having small, round, beady eyes …1966 Amer. dial.
 
• PEAGOOSE
n. 1606 obs. – a dolt, a fool; a simpleton, a silly fellow
 
• PEAHEAD
n. an unpleasant or dull-witted person …1960 Amer. dial., usually derogatory
 
• PEA HILL
n. a remote, small, or poor place …1851 Amer. dial.
 
• PEAK AND PINE
vb. to go about dispiritedly or listlessly …1851 Amer. dial.
 
PEAKED
adj. 1. 1864 Amer. dial. – in poor health, sickly, unwell
adj. 2. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – thin, emaciated, as from sickness
 
• PEAKED AND PINED
adj. listless; sickly …1872 Amer. dial.
 
• PEAKED AND PINEY
adj. listless; sickly …1957 Amer. dial.
 
• PEAKEDY
adj. peaked; in poor health, sickly, unwell …1956 Amer. dial.
 
• PEAKING
adj. sickly, unwell, in poor health …1902 Amer. dial.
 
• PEAKISH
adj. sickly, unwell, in poor health …1877 Amer. dial.
 
• PEAKY
adj. sickly, unwell, in poor health, ill…1821
 
• PEALER
n. something remarkable of its kind; a hard-working, energetic person …1823 Amer. dial.
 
PEANUT
adj. 1934 Amer. sl. – small, trivial
n. 1. 1915 Amer. dial. – a small or insignificant person; also, a term of endearment for a small child
n. 2. 1967 Amer. dial. – a small or insignificant enterprise
 
• PEANUT BUTCHER
n. a vendor of newspapers aboard a passenger train …1902 US sl.
 
• PEANUT-EATER
n. a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist church …1967 Amer. dial.
 
• PEANUT FLOAT
n. a nonexistent object used as the basis of a practical joke …1968 Amer. dial.
 
PEANUT GALLERY
n. 1. 1888 Amer. sl. – the topmost rows of a theatre
n. 2. 20C Amer. sl. – a group or individual whose opinion is considered inconsequential
 
• PEANUT HEAVEN
n. the upper balcony in a theatre …1897 Amer. dial.
 
• PEANUT LINE
n. a branch railroad that is not very important or gives poor service …1967 Amer. dial.
 
• PEANUT ROASTER
n. among railroaders and loggers: a small steam engine …1945 Amer. sl.
 
• PEANUT ROOST
n. the upper balcony in a theatre …1966 Amer. dial.
 
• PEANUT ROW
n. a small, unimportant, or out-of-the-way place …1968 Amer. dial., derogatory
 
• PEANUTS
n. a small amount of money; a trivial sum …1934 Amer. sl.
 
• PEANUT SPECIAL
n. a branch railroad that is not very important or gives poor service …1950 Amer. dial.
 
• PEANUTSVILLE
n. a small, unimportant, or out-of-the-way place …1968 Amer. dial., derogatory
 
PEA PICKER
n. 1. 1927 Amer. dial. – a rustic or countrified person; a bumpkin; an unskilled labourer
n. 2. 1967 Amer. dial. – one’s hand
 
• PEAR
vb. to appear; to seem …1851 Amer. dial.
 
• PEA RIDGE
n. a remote, small, or poor place …1851 Amer. dial.
 
• PEA RIPPER
n. a very hot day, hot enough to bust open peas on the vine …1984 Amer. dial.
 
• PEA-RIPPING
adj. of the weather: hot …1984 Amer. dial.
 
PEARL
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a venereal bubo
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a syphilis sore
 
PEARL DIVER
n. 1913 sl., orig. US – someone who works as a dishwasher in a café or restaurant
 
PEARLER
adj. Aust., colloq. – excellent, pleasing
n. 1935 sl., chiefly Aust. – an excellent thing; something impressive
 
• PEARLIE
n. a clear glass marble of tinted colour …c1970 Amer. dial.
 
• PEARLIES
n. the teeth …1914 sl.
 
• THE PEARLIES
n. an uncontrollable nervous shaking of the bowing arm sometimes experienced by violinists, etc. before a performance …1974 sl.
 
• PEARLS
n. teeth …1950 Amer. dial.
 
• PEARLY
n. a clear glass marble of tinted colour …c1970 Amer. dial.
 
PEARLY GATES
n. 1. a1618 – the entrance to heaven
n. 2. 20C Brit. sl. – the teeth 
 
PEARLY WHITES
n. 1935 sl. – the teeth
 
PEART
adj. 1828 Amer. dial. – sprightly; lively; in good health; clever
adv. 1832 Amer. dial. – briskly, quickly; in a lively or agreeable way
 
PEARTEN
vb. 1. 1827 Amer. dial. – to make lively or cheerful; to enliven
vb. 2. 1851 Amer. dial. – to become lively, active, or cheerful; to hasten
 
PEARTENING POWDER
n. 1974 Amer. dial. – tonic; vitamins
 
PEARTEN UP
vb. 1. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – to go more briskly
vb. 2. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – to seem more lively
 
PEARTING POWDER
n. 1974 Amer. dial. – tonic; vitamins
 
PEAR-TOED
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – having feet that turn inward; pigeon-toed
 
PEASANT
n. 1. 1940s colloq. – a person who lives in the country; a rustic
n. 2. 1943 colloq. – someone considered ignorant, stupid, or awkward; an uncouth or uncultured person
 
PEA-SHOOTER
n. 1. World War II US Army & Air Force usage – a fighter pilot or plane
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a rifle; a firearm, esp. one so called by a person who scorns its small calibre
 
PEASLY
adj. 1969 Amer. dial. – said of a person who looks poorly or unhealthy
 
PEAS ON A TRENCHER
n. US Civil War usage – the breakfast bugle call
 
PEA-SOUP
n. 1. 1849 sl. – a thick fog, esp. one playing London
n. 2. 1896 N. Amer. sl., derogatory – a French-Canadian; the French-Canadian patois
 
PEA-SOUPER
n. 1. 1849 sl. – a thick fog, esp. one playing London
n. 2. 1930 Amer. dial., derogatory – a person of French background or heritage, esp. a French Canadian
 
• PEA STICKS
n. a remote, small, or poor place …1851 Amer. dial.
 
• PEA-TAD
n. something small and insignificant …1968 Amer. dial.
 
• PEB
n. a troublesome person or animal …1903 Aust. sl.
 
PEBBLE
n. 1. 1829 – a troublesome or obstinate person or animal → colloq., chiefly Aust.
n. 2. 1829 – someone who perseveres; a resolute person → Aust. sl.
 
PEBBLE-BEACHED
adj. 1. 1886 – utterly penniless; very poor, destitute; in want of money → sl.
adj. 2. ..L19 – dazed, absent-minded → sl.
 
PEBBLE-HEARTED
adj. 1887 – hard-hearted; cruel; unfeeling
 
PEBBLES
n. 19C – the testicles → Brit. sl.
 
PECAN
n. 1. 1968 – the nose → Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1968 – a Black person → Amer. dial.
 
PECCADILLIE
n. 1660 – a minor fault or sin; a trivial offense, a petty crime → obs.
 
PECCAMINOUS
adj. 1656 – full of sins, sinful; later: bawdy; indecent, lewd → obs.
 
PECK
n. 1. 1893 – a brief or perfunctory kiss → sl.
n. 2. 1932 – a short lunch break → Amer., chiefly railroad workers usage
n. 3. 1932 – a poor White person → African-American sl.
n. 4. 1967 – a toss, a hard throw → Amer. dial.
vb. 1. 1807 – to beat, to strike; to punish → Sc.
vb. 2. 1967 – to throw, to make a throw at something → Amer. dial.
vb. 3. 1969 – to kiss briefly → sl.
 
PECK-A-BACK
n. 1969 – a piggyback ride → Amer. dial.
 
PECKAGE
n. 17C – food; food supply → cant
 
PECK AND BOOZE
n. 18C – meat and drink 18C sl.
 
PECK AND PERCH
n. 1828 – food and lodging → sl.
 
PECK AND TIPPLE
n. 19C – meat and drink → sl.
 
PECK AT
vb. 1870 – to nag at; to find fault with → Amer. dial.
 
PECKAWOOD
n. 1929 – a poor White person → US sl.
 
PECKER
n. 1. 1848 – resolution; courage → sl.
n. 2. .M19 – the appetite → sl.
n. 3. 1902 – the penis → sl., chiefly US
n. 4. 1906 – a woodpecker → Amer. dial.
n. 5. 1986 – a White person; esp. a poor White → Amer. dial., chiefly African-American
 
PECKERBIRD
n. 1965 – a woodpecker → Amer. dial.
 
PECKERHEAD
n. 1. 1955 – a disparaging term for a person; a thick-headed or stupid person; a jerk, an oaf; a despised man; an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male → Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1967 – a woodpecker → Amer. dial.
 
PECKER POLE
n. 1. 1956 – a long, thin log → Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1958 – a small tree or sapling → Amer. dial.
 
PECKER-SUCKER
n. 1968 – one who tries too hard to gain somebody’s favour → Amer. dial.
 
PECKERWOOD
n. 1. 1835 – a woodpecker → Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1928 – a poor, backward, rural White person; often used as a term of abuse for White person → Amer. dial., chiefly Black usage Amer. dial., derogatory
n. 3. 1986 – a disparaging term for a person; a thick-headed or stupid person → Amer. dial.
 
PECKERWOODER
n. 1965 – a woodpecker → Amer. dial.
 
PECKHAM RYE
n. 1925 – a tie; later, usually a necktie → Brit. rhyming sl.
vb. 20C – to tie → rhyming sl.
 
PECKIDGE
n. 17C – food; food supply → cant
 
PECKISH
adj. 1. 1785 – hungry → sl.
adj. 2. 1895 – short-tempered; easily offended; nagging, hypercritical → Amer. dial.
 
PECK-SAP
n. 1965 – a middle-aged Black woman → Amer. dial.
 
PECK’S BAD BOY
n. 1883 – a mischievous boy → sl., chiefly US

PECKSNIFF n. an unctuous hypocrite, a person who affects benevolence or pretends to have high moral principles; also, a person who interferes officiously in the business of others → 1844
vb. to speak or act like a Pecksniff → 1903
 
PECKSNIFFIAN
adj. 1844 – making high pretensions to benevolence and virtue while really mean, selfish, and hypocritical
 
PECKWOOD
n. 1885 – a woodpecker → Amer. dial.
 
PECKY
adj. 1. 1860 – of the sea: choppy → colloq.
adj. 2. 1860 – of a horse: inclined to stumble → colloq.
adj. 3. 1886 – of a kiss: like a bird’s peck → colloq.
adj. 4. 1949 – short-tempered; easily offended; nagging, hypercritical → Amer. dial.
adj. 5. 1967 – tedious, intricate, requiring patience and attention to detail → Amer. dial.
n. 1969 – a person who is always finding fault about unimportant things → Amer. dial.
 
PECNOSTER
n. 19C – the penis → sl.
 
PECULIAR
adj. 1. ..20C – mentally deranged → colloq.
adj. 2. 1954 – ill → sl.
n. ..L17 – a mistress → colloq.
 
PECUNE
n. 1819 – orig. a Spanish half-real; hence, a five-cent piece; five cents → Amer. dial.


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