Charity and Mercy Pecksniff, the two daughters of the “architect and land surveyor.” Charity is thin, ill-natured, and a shrew, eventually jilted by a weak young man, who really loves her sister. Mercy Pecksniff, usually called “Merry,” is pretty and true-hearted; though flippant and foolish as a girl, she becomes greatly toned down by the troubles of her married life.—C. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit (1843).
Peculiar, negro slave, endowed with talent, ambitious of an opportunity to develop and use these, but hopeless of gaining it, until emancipated by the Civil War between the United States and the Southern Confederacy.—Epes Sargent, Peculiar.
Pedant, an old fellow set up to personate Vincentio in Shakespeare’s comedy called The Taming of the Shrew (1695).
Pèdre (Don), a Sicilian nobleman, who has a Greek slave of great beauty, named Isidore (3 syl.). This slave is loved by Adraste (2 syl.), a French gentleman, who gains access to the house under the guise of a portrait-painter. He next sends his slave, Zaïda, to complain to the Sicilian of ill-treatment, and Don Pèdre volunteers to intercede on her behalf. At this moment Adraste comes up, and demands that Zaïde be given up to deserved chastisement. Pedrè pleads for her, Adraste appears to be pacified, and Pedrè calls for Zaïde to come forth. Isidore, in the veil of Zaïde, comes out, and Pedrè says, “There, take her home, and use her well.” “I will do so,” says Adraste, and leads off the Greek slave.—Molière, Le Sicilien ou L’Amour Peintre (1667).
Pedrillo, the tutor of Don Juan. After the shipwreck, the men in the boat, being wholly without provisions, cast lots to know which should be killed as food for the rest, and the lot fell on Pedrillo, but those who feasted on him most ravenously went mad.
His tutor, the licentiate Pedrillo,
Who several languages did understand.
Byron, Don Juan, ii. 25; see 76-79 (1819).
Pedro, “the pilgrim,” a noble gentleman servant to Alinda (daughter of Lord Alphonso).—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Pilgrim (1621).
Pedro (Don), prince of Aragon.—Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing (1600).
Pedro (Don), father of Leonora.—R. Jephson, Two Strings to your Bow (1792).
Pedro (Don), a Portuguese nobleman, father of Donna Violante.—Mrs. Centlivre, The Wonder (1714).