11 Antiquated “P” Words From the American Slang Dictionary
1. Pad the hoof: “To tramp about. Orig. hobo use.”
2. Pang-wangle: “To live or go along cheerfully in spite of minor misfortunes.”
3. Paper-belly: “A person unable to drink liquor straight, or one who grimaces after drinking.”
4. Peter Funk: “An auctioneer’s accomplice who poses as a buyer in order to stimulate bidding or to ‘buy’ items on which the final bid from a genuine customer has not been high enough. Auction use.”
5. Pie card: “A union membership card, specif., as shown to a stranger who is a union member in order to borrow money, obtain food and lodging, or the like. Hobo use c1925.”
6. Pig between two sheets: “A ham sandwich. Some lunch-counter use c1925”
7. Pine overcoat: “A coffin, esp. a cheap one.”
8. Possum Belly: “An extra storage compartment under a railroad car. Hobo lingo.”
9. Pretzel-bender: “1. A preculiar person; an eccentric; one who thinks in a round-about manner. 2. A player of the French horn. Musician use. Not common. 3. A wrestler. 4. A heavy drinker; one who frequents bars.”
10. Prushun or Prushon: “A boy tramp who begs for a mature tramp. Obscurely from “Prusssian.”
11. Puka: “1. Any small, private place, such as a pigeonhole in a desk, a safe, a purse, a small suitcase, or the like. 2. [taboo] The female genitals. Both meanings WWII USN use in Pacific. Prob. orig. Polynesian.”
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