• P.I.
n. 1. a Prince Edward Islander; broadly, anyone from any of the Canadian Maritime Provinces …1902 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a prostitute’s bully; a pander; a procurer, a pimp …c1920 UK sl.
• PI
adj. pious, excessively religious …1981 sl.
n. a pimp …1900s African-American sl.
• PIACULOUS
adj. 1. 1646 obs. – requiring expiation; sinful, wicked, blameworthy
adj. 2. 1780 rare – making expiation or atonement
• PIANO
n. spare ribs …1930s African-American sl.
• PIANOING
adj. down on hands and knees searching with one’s fingers for cocaine accidentally dropped on the floor …1980s African-American sl.
• PIANO KID
n. in jazz: any teenage pianist working the rundown joints; teenage piano players were common in the brothels and cabarets in the 1900s-1930s …1900s African-American sl.
• PIANO ON A PLATTER
n. barbecued ribs on a plate …1930s African-American sl.
• PIANO PLANT
n. the peony …1919 Amer. dial.
• PIANO ROSE
n. the peony …1966 Amer. dial.
• PIANO SHAFTS
n. unshapely legs …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PIC
n. a jukebox …1930s African-American sl.
• PICARA
n. 17C – a female rogue or adventurer
• PICARO
n. 1622 – a male roguish adventurer
• PICAROON
n. an adventurer or rogue …C17 arch.
• PICAYUNE
adj. mean, contemptible, paltry; of small value or importance …1856 Amer. colloq.
n. the name formerly given in Louisiana, Florida, etc., to the Spanish half-real, value 6 1/4 cents or 3 pence; then given to the U.S. 5-cent piece or other coin of small value; hence, a person or thing considered small, mean, or insignificant; something of slight value or trifling importance …1804 Amer. colloq.
• PICAYUNISH
adj. 1. of small value or importance …1852 US & Can. colloq.
adj. 2. mean, petty …1905 US & Can. colloq.
• PICCADILLY
n. a man’s shoe with a pointed toe …1968 Amer. dial.
• PICCANIN
n. a Black African child …1900s S. Afr., offensive
• PICCANINNY
n. a Black or other non-White child …1848 Amer. dial.
• PICCOLO
n. a coin-operated automatic musical instrument; a jukebox …c1937 Amer. dial.
• PICCOLOBOX
n. a coin-operated automatic musical instrument; a jukebox …1944 Amer. dial.
• PICCOLO JOINT
n. a place where prostitutes ply their trade; an establishment, usually in a rural location, providing liquor, music, entertainment, and often prostitutes; a roadhouse …1938 Amer. dial.
• PICHTEL
n. an enclosure surrounding a house, a yard, barnyard, or cow pen …1860 Amer. dial.
• PICK
n. 1. the tip of the ear …1904 Amer. dial.
n. 2. an inoculation …1970 Amer. dial.
vb. 1. to shred or flake fish …1847 Amer. dial.
vb. 2. to prick; to pierce …1890 Amer. dial.
vb. 3. of a horse or cow: to graze …1902 Amer. dial.
• PICK AND MELL
adv. thoroughly; with determination; ‘hammer and tongs’ …Bk1905 Sc.
vb. 1. to maul; to beat …Bk1905 Sc.
vb.2. to set to work vigorously; to make use of all the means within one’s power …Bk1905 Sc.
• PICKANINNY
n. a common word for any small Black child in the old slave states; used in the West Indies to refer to any small child of an colour or race …1650s African-American
• PICKANINY
n. a Black or other non-White child …1848 Amer. dial.
• PICKAROON
n. an adventurer or rogue …17C arch.
• PICK A SALAD
vb. 1. to be engaged in some trivial occupation …1520 obs.
vb. 2. to make a selection …1520 obs.
• PICK AT
vb. to quarrel with; to find fault; to complain …1899 Amer. dial.
• PICKATREE
n. a woodpecker; the green woodpecker, Gecinus viridis …1615 Eng. dial.
• PICK AT THE TURKS
vb. to incite to anger; to nag at; to tease …1786 Amer. dial.
• PICK AT WEST POINT
vb. to incite to anger; to nag at; to tease …1884 Amer. dial.
• PICKAYUNE
n. orig. a Spanish half-real; hence, a five-cent piece; five cents …1834 Amer. dial.
• PICKED
adj. 1. sharp-pointed …1791 Amer. dial.
adj. 2. of fish: shredded, flaked …1886 Amer. dial.
• PICKED-UP
adj. of a meal: consisting of leftovers …1771 Amer. dial.
• PICKED UP UNDER A BUSH
adj. lacking manners, uncouth, boorish …1965 Amer. dial.
• PICKED UP UNDER A ROCK
adj. lacking manners, uncouth, boorish …1965 Amer. dial.
• PICKER
n. a burr, a bramble, a prickle …1950 Amer. dial.
• PICKEREL-TOED
adj. of a shoe: having a sharp-pointed toe …1968 Amer. dial.
• PICKERNICKS
n. picnickers …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• PICKER STICK
n. a very thin person …1999 Amer. dial.
• PICKER-UPPER
n. a man who picks up women on the streets …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PICKET NIGHT
n. the night before Halloween, when young people play pranks; so called from the custom of producing noise by running a stick along a picket fence …1977 Amer. dial.
• PICKET PIN
n. a marmot; a woodchuck; a prairie dog …1980 Amer. dial.
• PICKETTY
adj. of the sea: choppy …1968 Amer. dial.
• PICKETY
adj. fussy, particular, fault-finding, hypercritical …1966 Amer. dial.
• PICKETY HOP
n. hop-scotch …1957 Amer. dial.
• PICK-FAULT
adj. fault-finding …1565 obs.
n. one who is ready to find fault; a censorious person …1546 obs.
• PICK FEATHERS OFF
vb. to plunder …1677 obs.
• PICK-HAIRED
adj. having thin, sparse hair …1653 obs.
• PICK-HANDLE
n. homemade whisky; moonshine …1968 Amer. dial.
• PICKIES
n. the pointed leaves fallen from pine trees …1966 Amer. dial.
• PICKING THE POPPIES
adj. addicted to opium …M19 drug culture sl.
• PICKLE
n. 1. nonsense …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. a fresh cucumber …1950 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a pull-tab lottery ticket …2000 Amer. dial.
vb. to intoxicate; to make dead drunk …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PICKLE CARD
n. a pull-tab lottery ticket …2000 Amer. dial.
• PICKLED
adj. drunk …1842 sl.
• PICKLEMENT
n. a difficult or awkward situation; a predicament …1945 Amer. dial.
• PICKLE-PUSS
n. an unattractive person …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PICKLE-VINE
n. a cucumber plant …1951 Amer. dial.
• PICK-ME-UP
n. a tonic medicine …1900 sl.
• PICK-MOTE
n. one who draws attention to trivial faults in others …1549 obs.
• PICKNEY
n. a common word for any small Black child in the old slave states; used in the West Indies to refer to any small child of an colour or race …1650s African-American
• PICK NO SQUARES
phr. don’t fight …Bk1998 teen sl.
• PICK-QUARREL
n. 1. one ready to pick quarrels; a quarrelsome person; a cantankerous person …1530 obs.
n. 2. an occasion of quarrel; a cause of dispute …1611 obs.
• PICKSNIFF
adj. paltry, despicable …B1900 Eng. dial.
n. an insignificant, paltry, contemptible person …1862 Eng. dial.
• PICK STRAWS
vb. to show signs of sleep …1796 sl.
• PICK-UP
adj. of a meal: consisting of leftovers …1848 Amer. dial.
n. 1. stealing, theft …1928 sl.
n. 2. something excellent …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
(verbs usually as ‘pick up’)
vb. 1. to form a casual relationship with a view to sexual intercourse …1698 sl.
vb. 2. to steal; to rob …1770 sl.
vb. 3. to arrest …1871 sl., orig. US
vb. 4. to shred or flake fish …1890 Amer. dial.
vb. 5. to drink alcohol, or use drugs …1950s Amer. sl.
• PICK UP A FLAT
vb. to find a client …1869 prostitutes’ usage
• PICK UP FAG-ENDS
vb. to listen in to other people’s conversations and attempt to comment upon them or join in; to overhear or to interrupt; esp. used as ‘don’t pick up fag-ends’ …1910s sl.
• PICK-UP MAN
n. someone who steals luggage …1928 sl.
• PICK UP STOMPIES
vb. to come late to a conversation and so misunderstand what is being discussed …20C S. Afr. sl.
• PICK UP THE BILL
vb. to bear the cost of something …1945 sl., orig. US
• PICK UP THE CHECK
vb. to bear the cost of something …1945 sl., orig. US
• PICK UP THE TAB
vb. to bear the cost of something …1945 sl., orig. US
• PICK UP YOUR FACE
phr. response to somebody who has just done something stupid or embarrassing …Bk1998 teen sl.
• PICKY
adj. prickly, thorny, scratchy …c1970 Amer. dial.
n. a burr, a bramble, a prickle …1950 Amer. dial.
• PICNIC
n. a bottle of beer, large enough to serve at a small picnic …1991 Amer. dial.
• PICTURE
n. 1. a beautiful or attractive person or thing …1815
n. 2. a signature …1965 Amer. dial.
• PICTURE-ASKEW
adj. picturesque …c1870 colloq.
• PICTURE OF ILL-LUCK
n. ninepence … Bk1903 sl.
• PICTURES
n. an operating theatre …World War I military sl.
• PICTURE SHOW
n. a big battle … World War I Amer. sl.
• PICTURES-QUEUE
adj. picturesque …20C colloq.
• PICUDA
n. a barracuda …1882 Amer. dial.
• PIDDELER
n. a trifler; an idle, worthless person; a good-for-nothing …1779 Amer. dial.
• PIDDLE
n. 1. urine …1901 sl.
n. 2. urination …1937 sl.
vb. 1. to dawdle; to potter; to concern oneself with trifles; to waste one’s time …1774 Amer. dial.
vb. 2. to urinate …1796 sl.
vb. 3. to rain …1887 sl.
vb. 4. to eat daintily, or as one with poor appetite …1902 Amer. dial.
vb. 5. to fornicate …1912 Amer. dial.
• PIDDLE ABOUT
vb. to dawdle; to potter; to concern oneself with trifles; to waste one’s time; to behave foolishly, and esp. in a time-wasting way …1545 sl.
• PIDDLE AROUND
vb. to dawdle; to potter; to concern oneself with trifles; to waste one’s time; to behave foolishly, and esp. in a time-wasting way …1545 sl.
• PIDDLE AWAY
vb. to waste by trifling …1909 Amer. dial.
• PIDDLE POTTY
n. a chamber pot …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PIDDLER
n. a trifler; an idle, worthless person; a good-for-nothing …1779 Amer. dial.
• PIDDLING
adj. 1. trifling, trivial, insignificant; loafing …1899 Amer. dial.
adj. 2. scarce; scanty …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PIDGEON-EYED
adj. intoxicated with alcohol …E18 US sl.
• PIE
n. 1. a gullible person; a dupe …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. something excellent …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PIECE
n. 1. 16C – a gun
n. 2. 1776 Amer. dial.– a short, indeterminate distance; a distance
n. 3. 1929 – financial interest in a business, etc.
n. 4. 1935 US sl. – an ounce of a drug, esp. morphine or heroin
n. 5. 1942 sl. – a woman viewed as a sex object
vb. 1. 1908 Amer. dial. – to snack; to eat between meals
vb. 2. 1931 Amer. dial. – to agree, to get on well, to come to an agreement
• PIECE ALONG
vb. 1979 Amer. dial. – to make do, to get along
• PIECE ANT
n. 1916 Amer. dial. – an ant
• PIECE AROUND
vb. 1944 Amer. dial. – to snack; to eat between meals
• PIECE MEAL
n. 1946 Amer. dial. – a snack or light meal
vb. 1946 Amer. dial. – to have a snack
• PIECEN OUT
vb. c1900 Amer. dial. – to extend; to eke out; to supplement, to fill out something
• PIECE OF ASS
n. 1. 1930 Amer. sl. – a woman considered as a sexual partner
n. 2. 1934 Amer. sl. – copulation
n. 3. 1934 Amer. sl. – anal copulation
• A PIECE OF CAKE
n. 1936 colloq. – something very easy to do
• PIECE OF CALICO
n. 1848 Amer. dial. – a woman
• PIECE OF CHEESE
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a stooge, a patsy
• PIECE OF CHIPPY
n. 1952 Amer. sl. – a sexually promiscuous woman. esp. a prostitute
• PIECE OF CRACKLING
n. 1947 Brit. sl. – a woman viewed as a sex object
• PIECE OF HOUSE
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a small, poorly-built house, or one in rundown condition
• A PIECE OF MAGNOLIA
n. c1960 Can. sl. – a piece of ‘tail’; sexual intercourse
• PIECE OF POONTANG
n. 1947 sl. – a woman viewed as a sex object
• PIECE-OF-SHIT
adj. 1980s sl. – disgusting; unattractive; unkempt
(nouns as ‘piece of shit’)
n. 1. 1940s sl., orig. US – anybody or anything unpleasant, disgusting, of poor quality etc.; a disliked person; a piece of gross hypocrisy
n. 2. Bk1998 teen sl. – junk
• PIECE OF SKIRT
n. 1930s sl., orig. US – a woman seen as a sex object
• PIECE OF SOMEONE’S ASS
n. 1959 US sl. – vengeance against someone, esp. in the form of a beating, a thrashing, a punishment
• PIECE OF STUFF
n. L18 sl. – a young woman
• PIECE OF TAIL
n. 1. 1920s sl., orig. US – a woman, a girl; not used in a derogatory sense, but usually from a sexual point of view, and usually dismissive
n. 2. 1920s US sl. – an act of sexual intercourse
• PIECE OF THE ACTION
n. 1. 1929 – financial interest in a business, etc.
n. 2. 1938 – an involvement in an activity; a share in the profits of something
• A PIECE OF WOOD
n. 1705 obs. – a contemptuous term for a stupid person; a blockhead
• PIECER
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – one who snacks
• PIECES
n. Bk1903 sl. – money
• PIECEWAY
n. 1886 Amer. dial. – a part of the way; an indefinite distance
• PIECEWAYS
n. 1932 Amer. dial. – a part of the way; an indefinite distance
• PIECING
n. 1908 Amer. dial. – snacking
• PIED
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – bewildered; confused; muddled
• PIEDID
adj. 1757 Amer. dial. – pied, spotted, mottled
• PIEDIDY
adj. 1963 Amer. dial. – pied, spotted, mottled
• PIEDY
adj. 1895 Amer. dial. – pied, spotted, mottled
• PIE-EYED
adj. L19 US sl. – intoxicated with alcohol
• PIE-FACE
n. 1922 US sl. – a foolish person
• PIE HOLE
n. 20C US sl. – the mouth
• PIE ON
adj. 1941 NZ sl. – highly skilled or capable
• PIE-PLANT
n. 1838 Amer. dial. – rhubarb
• PIESA
n. 1940s W. Indies sl. – money
• PIE STEM
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – rhubarb
• PIET
n. L16 – a talkative or cheeky person
• PIE-UP
n. World War I Amer. sl. – a crash; a smash
• PIE-WAGON
n. 1. 1898 US sl. – a police van or black Maria
n. 2. World War I Amer. sl. – a ship’s prison
• PIFFED
adj. 1. 20C US sl. – dead; killed
adj. 2. 1900 Amer. college sl. – tipsy; drunk
• PIFFICATED
adj. 1900 Amer. dial.– tipsy; drunk
• ֳPIFFLE
int. E20 US colloq.– a mild exclamation
n. L19 colloq. – foolish or empty talk; nonsense; drivel
vb. M19 colloq. – to talk or act in a feeble or trifling way; to talk nonsense
• PIFFLED
adj. 1929 Amer. dial. – tipsy; drunk
• PIFFLICATE
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to intoxicate; to make dead drunk
• PIFFLICATED
adj. 1912 Amer. dial. – tipsy; drunk
• PIFFLING
adj. M19 colloq. – trivial; worthless
• PIFLICTED
adj. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – drunk
• PIFTED
adj. 20C US sl. – dead; killed
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Updated: February 28, 2023
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