Petticoat Lane. Another name for “Rag Fair,” the old clothes mart of the Jews in the East End. Its modern name is Middlesex Street.
Petty. Provincial for an out-house, because its accommodation is restricted to one person; also called a “Privy,” short for private.
Petty Sessions. A criminal court for the disposal of petty or lesser felonies, as distinguished from the usual “Quarter Sessions,” where all graver charges, short of those meriting capital punishment, are dealt with.
Phaeton. A name derived from the Phaeton of ancient mythology, who, having received permission to drive the sun car of Helios, his father, for a day, had the ill fortune to cause it to be overturned, and thereby almost set the world on fire.
Pharmacist. An Americanism for a chemist; derived, of course, from “Pharmaceutist,” one who keeps a pharmacy or drug store.
Pharisees. Those of the Jews who affected a greater degree of holiness than their neighbours, and were consequently regarded as a separate people. The word is from the Hebrew pharash, “separated.”
Philadelphia. Expresses the Greek for “city of brotherly love.” This name was happily chosen by William Penn for the capital of his Quaker colony in the New World.
Philippe Egalité. See “[Egalité].”
Philippi. A ruined city of Macedonia, named after Philip II. of Macedon, who conquered it. It was to the Philippians, the people of this city, that St Paul addressed one of his Epistles.
Philippic. A powerful invective or denunciation. So called from a famous oration of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon with a view of arousing the Athenians to repel his ambitious designs.