PITCH THE FORK, to tell a pitiful tale.
PITCH THE NOB, [PRICK THE GARTER], which see.
PLANT, a dodge, a preconcerted swindle; a position in the street to sell from. Plant, a swindle, may be thus described: a coster will join a party of gambling costers that he never saw before, and commence tossing. When sufficient time has elapsed to remove all suspicions of companionship, his mate will come up and commence betting on each of his PAL’S throws with those standing around. By a curious quickness of hand, a coster can make the toss tell favourably for his wagering friend, who meets him in the evening after the play is over and shares the spoil.
PLANT, to mark a person out for plunder or robbery, to conceal, or place.—Old cant.
PLEBS, a term used to stigmatise a tradesman’s son at Westminster School. Latin, PLEBS, the vulgar.
PLOUGHED, drunk.—Household Words, No. 183. Also a University term equivalent to PLUCKED.
PLUCK, the heart, liver, and lungs of an animal,—all that is PLUCKED away in connection with the windpipe, from the chest of a sheep or hog; among low persons, courage, valour, and a stout heart.—See [MOLLYGRUBS].
PLUCK’D-’UN, a stout or brave fellow; “he’s a rare PLUCKED-’UN,” i.e.
, dares face anything.
During the Crimean war, PLUCKY, signifying courageous, seemed likely to become a favourite term in May-Fair, even among the ladies. An eminent critic, however, who had been bred a butcher, having informed the fashionable world that in his native town the sheep’s head always went with the PLUCK, the term has been gradually falling into discredit at the West End.