• PLEAD ONE’S BELLY
vb. of a pregnant female criminal facing the death sentence: to plead that since she is pregnant, the law should spare her unborn child’s life …18C sl.
• PLEAD THE BABY ACT
vb. to attempt to excuse excessive or feigned ignorance or stupidity on the ground of inexperience; to enter a plea that one is not legally responsible by reason of youth or inexperience …1868 Amer.
• PLEASANT AS A BASKET OF CHIPS
adj. very pleasant …1950 Amer. dial.
• PLEASE
vb. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.
• PLEASED AS A BASKETFUL OF CHIPS
adj. exceedingly well pleased; delighted …1906 Amer. dial.
• PLEASED AS A BASKETFUL OF POSSUM-HEADS
adj. exceedingly well pleased …1906 Amer. dial. rare
• PLEASED AS PUNCH
adj. highly pleased; delighted
• PLEASED TO A FEATHER
adj. pleased to a nicety …1659 obs.
• PLEASE-MAN
n. one who tries to please men; an officious or servile person who courts favour; a sycophantic and servile fawner …1588 obs. rare
• PLEASE UP
vb. to treat with special care; to make happy …1884 Amer. dial.
► PLEASURANCE n. pleasure → 1400 arch.
• PLEASURE
vb. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.
• PLEASURE-BENT
adj. of legs: bowed, bent …1965 Amer. dial.
• PLEB
n. a lower-class person …1865 sl.
• PLEBBIE; PLEBBY
n. a lower-class person …1962 sl.
• PLEBICOLIST
n. 1656 – one who flatters or courts the favour of the common people; a friend of the people → obs.
• PLEDGE
n. a student who has pledged to join a fraternity or sorority …1901 US sl.
• PLEEP
n. an enemy pilot who refuses aerial combat …1942 military sl.
• PLEGGY
adj. annoying, troublesome, vexatious; damned …1922 Amer. dial.
• PLENILOQUENCE
n. 1838 – fullness of talk, excessive speaking
• PLENILUNARY
adj. 1646 – pertaining to the full moon
► PLENIPOTENT adj. possessing full power or authority → 1639
n. a person possessing full authority → 1646 obs.
• PLENITUDINARY
adj. 1647 – characterized by fullness or completeness; thorough, full, complete → obs.
• PLENTEVOUS
adj. 1738 – abundant, plentiful, plenteous → obs.
• PLENTIFUL AS PIG-TRACKS
adj. 1870 – very plentiful, abundant → Amer. dial.
• PLENTY
adj. 1933 – excellent → sl., chiefly US
• PLENTY GOOD
adj. 1942 – excellent; first-rate → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
• PLENTY GOOD ENOUGH
adj. 1942 – excellent; first-rate → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
• PLENTY OF HAIR
n. M19 – large numbers of women → sl.
• PLING
vb. 1913 – to beg → US sl.
• PLINGER
n. 1904 – a beggar → sl.
• PLINK
n. 1943 – very low-quality wine → Aust. sl.
• PLINKER
n. 1982 – an airgun or other cheap low-calibre firearm → sl.
• PLINK-PLONKER
n. 1942 – a guitar player → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► PLISKY adj. given to playing tricks; tricky, mischievous, frolicsome; sly, underhand → 1883 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
n. 1. a mischievous escapade; a trick, a prank; a practical joke; a frolic → 1706 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
n. 2. an awkward or distressing situation, a predicament, a woeful state → 1818 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
n. 3. a rage; a row, a disturbance → 1847 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 4. an extravagant notion, a wild idea, a crotchet → 1868 Sc.
• PLOD
n. 1977 – a police officer → Brit. sl.
• THE PLOD
n. 1986 – the police → Brit. sl.
• PLODDALL
n. 1618 – a dull or commonplace person; a plodder, a person who works slowly and laboriously → obs.
• PLOD-SHOE
n. 1697 – a strong clumsy shoe in which one walks heavily → obs.
• PLOGGER
n. 1989 – a poacher → Amer. dial.
• PLONK
n. 1. 1930 – cheap or inferior wine → sl., orig. Aust.
n. 2. 1941 – an aircraftman second class → Royal Air Force sl.
• PLONKED
adj. 1943 – drunk → sl.
• PLONKER
n. 1. 1883 – a large marble of stone, clay, pot, etc. → Eng. dial.
n. 2. 1885 – anything large of its kind → Eng. dial.
n. 3. 1918 – an explosive shell → Aust. sl.
n. 4. 1947 – the penis → sl.
n. 5. 1966 – a foolish person → Brit. sl.
• PLONKO
n. 1963 – someone with a taste for cheap or inferior wine → Aust. sl.
• PLOOT
n. 1908 – a rich person → sl., chiefly US, derogatory
• PLOP
adv. 1942 – suddenly → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
• PLORABUND
adj. 17C? – making great lamentation → obs.
n. 1623 – one that weeps much → obs.
• PLORATORY
adj. 1858 – weeping, mournful → obs.
• PLOTCHED
adj. 1950 – drunk, intoxicated → Amer. dial.
• PLOTZ
vb. 1. 1941 – to slouch or lounge around lazily → US sl.
vb. 2. 1967 – to give way to heightened emotion; to lose one’s composure → US sl.
vb. 3. 1967 – to laugh very hard; to split one’s seams, to die from laughter, etc. → Amer. dial.
• PLOTZED
adj. 1962 – drunk → sl.
• PLOUGH
vb. 1. 1853 – to fail in an examination → Brit. sl.
vb. 2. 1903 – to possess carnally → sl. (Bk.)
vb. 3. 1942 – to intoxicate; to make dead drunk → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
• PLOUGHED
adj. 1890 – drunk → sl., chiefly US
• PLOUGHED UNDER
adj. 1942 – drunk → Amer. sl.
• PLOUGH-JOCKEY
n. 1927 – a farmer, a rustic → Amer. dial.
• PLOUTSACKS
n. the feet …B1900 Sc.
• PLOW BONE
n. the tailbone of a bird …1937 Amer. dial.
• PLOWBOY
n. a farmer, a rustic …1950 Amer. dial.
• PLOWED
adj. drunk, fully intoxicated …1890 sl., chiefly US
• PLOW JOCK
n. a farmer, a rustic …1950 Amer. dial.
• PLOW-JOCKEY
n. a farmer, a rustic …1927 Amer. dial.
• PLOWMAKER’S MATE
n. an awkward recruit …Bk1913-17 Amer. navy sl.
• PLOW-PUSHER
n. a farmer, a rustic …1935 Amer. dial.
• PLOW SHOES
n. men’s low, rough work shoes …1937 Amer. dial.
• PLOWTER
vb. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.
• PLOW THE BACK FORTY
vb. to waste time …1967 Amer. dial.
• PLUCK
n. 1. courage …1785 sl., possibly originally boxing sl.
n. 2. cheap or inferior wine …1904 Amer. dial. esp. Black usage
vb. 1. to fail in an examination …1713 Brit. university sl.
vb. 2. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.
• PLUCK A ROSE
vb. to urinate …1613 euphemism
• PLUCK DINGLES
vb. to curry favour …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLUCKY
adj. brave …1842 sl.
• PLUFF
adj. of mud: of a fine, silty texture …1853 Amer. dial.
• PLUFFY
adj. 1. of mud: of a fine, silty texture …1941 Amer. dial.
adj. 2. of vegetables: spongy, pithy …1966 Amer. dial.
• PLUG
n. 1. 1848 – an ineffectual or incompetent person → sl., chiefly US
n. 2. 1860 – a heavy dray horse; a worthless horse → sl., chiefly US
n. 3. 1863 – a male person; a fellow → sl., chiefly US, derogatory
n. 4. 1931 – a small, local passenger train; a small branch railroad → Amer. dial.
n. 5. 1942 – a diligent student → Amer. students’ sl.
n. 6. 1942 – something worthless → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. 7. 1965 – a mule → Amer. dial.
n. 8. 1970 – cheap or inferior wine → Amer. dial. esp. African-American
vb. 1. 1870 – to shoot → sl.
vb. 2. 1875 – to hit → sl.
vb. 3. 1901 – of a male: to have sex → sl.
vb. 4. 1911 – to throw, to fling → Amer. dial.
• PLUG ALONG
vb. 1942 – to be slow → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
• PLUG AWAY
vb. 1947 – to continue working hard at something, to persevere → sl.
• PLUGGER
n. 1942 – a diligent student → Amer. students’ sl. (Bk.)
• PLUG RUN
n. 1916 – a small passenger train → Amer. dial.
• PLUG TRAIN
n. 1916 – a small, local passenger train → Amer. dial.
• PLUG-UGLY
n. 1. 1856 – a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → sl., orig. US
n. 2. 1913 – said of a very ugly man, not genteel → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
• PLUM
adv. 1858 – entirely, completely, absolutely, very → Amer. dial.
n. 1903 – £100,000 → sl. (Bk.)
• PLUMATILE
adj. 1715 – made of feathers → obs.
• PLUMB DEAF
adj. 1965 – completely deaf → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB DRUNK
adj. 1965 – completely drunk → Amer. dial.
• PLUMBER
n. 1. 1941 – an armourer or engineering officer → Royal Air Force sl.
n. 2. 1942 – a student who selects easy courses → Amer. students’ sl. (Bk.)
n. 3. 1972 – a member of a White House special unit during the administration of Richard Nixon which investigated leaks of government secrets, and which was found to have been guilty of illegal practices, including bugging with concealed microphones → sl., chiefly US
• PLUMB FAGGED
adj. 1965 – completely tired or exhausted → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB FULL
adj. 1959 – completely full → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB NAKED
adj. 1965 – completely naked → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB NEAR
adv. 1965 – almost, nearly → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB NEARLY
n. 1942 – a name for an out-of-the-way place → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB NELLIE
adv. 1941 – in a remote place → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB PERT
adj. 1965 – very lively or active → Amer. dial.
• PLUMB TUCKERED OUT
adj. 1965 – completely tired or exhausted → Amer. dial.
• PLUME OF FEATHERS
n. 1588 – a trifling person → obs.
• PLUME-PLUCKED
adj. 1597 – stripped of a source of pride; humbled, brought down; reduced in rank
• PLUME-STRIKER
n. 1658 – a parasite or flatterer → obs.
• PLUMGRANNY
n. 1944 – a pomegranate → Amer. dial.
• PLUMMY
adj. 1942 – excellent; first-rate → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
• PLUMPER
n. 1812 – a shameless lie; a whopper → Amer. dial.
• PLUM-PUDDING
n. 1925 – a type of trench-mortar bomb → sl.
• PLUMS
n. 1903 – money .→ sl. (Bk.)
• PLUMTUOUS
adj. 1721 – plenteous → obs.
• PLUNDER
n. 1. 1805 – baggage, gear; personal property → Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1843 – disused or discarded articles that are kept around; junk → Amer. dial.
n. 3. 1858 – household furnishings and effects → Amer. dial.
vb. 1912 – to proceed in a clumsy or heavy manner; to flounder → Amer. dial.
• PLUNDER ABOUT
vb. 1942 – to proceed in a clumsy or heavy manner; to flounder → Amer. dial.
• PLUNGE
n. 1908 – a swimming pool → Amer. dial.
• PLUNGE BATH
n. 1905 – a swimming pool → Amer. dial.
• PLUNK
adv. 1942 – suddenly → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. 1. 1891 – a dollar; esp. a silver dollar → Amer. sl.
n. 2. 1942 – a fast throw → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
vb. 1888 – to shoot → sl., orig. US
• PLUNKER
n. 1960 – a dollar; esp. a silver dollar → Amer. sl.
• PLUNKER BOY
n. 1942 – a guitar player → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► PLURANIMOUS adj. not unanimous → 1650 obs.
• PLUTE
n. 1908 – a rich person → sl., chiefly US, derogatory
• PLUTOMANIA
n. 1. 1652 – an insane love or pursuit of wealth → obs.
n. 2. 1894 – an insane delusion in which the person imagines himself possessed of immense wealth
• PLUVIATILE
adj. 1599 – relating to rain, of rain water → obs.
• PLUVIOUS
adj. 1420 – pertaining to rain, rainy
• PLY-POT
n. 1611 – one who plies the pot; one addicted to drinking → obs.
• PLY THE ACID
vb. 1. ..20C – to exert pressure on a person for a loan, a favour, sexual compliance, etc. → Aust. sl.
vb. 2. 1900 – to render impoverished → sl.
vb. 3. 1910 – to confirm → sl.
vb. 4. 1910 – to put a stop to → sl.
vb. 5. 1910 – to test out a person or a statement → sl.
• PLY THE ACID ON
vb. 1906 – to exert a pressure which is difficult to resist; to exert such pressure on a person, etc. → Aust.
• PLY THE LABOURING OAR
vb. 1894 – to take a great or arduous share of the work
• PLY THE TOBY
vb. 19C – to practice highway robbery → thieves’ sl.
• P. MAN
n. 1920 – a plain-clothes detective → UK sl.
• P.M.Y.O.B.
phr. 20C – please mind your own business → US
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Lexicophilia 