P
from The Liverpool English Dictionary
Summary
Pace-egging (n.): Paschal-egging. ‘Childwall … pace-egging, oak-apple day and the maypole’ (Anon. 1915c: 4). ‘I saw a party of children in the Kirkdale district this Easter observing the custom of “pasch”, or “pace”, egging’ (‘Postman’ 1945a: 2). ‘I lived on Gateacre Brow and the “pace eggers” used to visit us every Easter’ (‘Postman’ 1945b: 2). Recorded from l.16c., mainly northern and Scottish; from l.14c. ‘Pace’, Easter’, ultimately Latin ‘Pascha’, Hebrew ‘Pesah’. In older forms of this traditional ritual, eggs were decorated as part of the Easter celebration and distributed by ‘pace-eggers’ – groups of garishly dressed players who performed a traditional mummers play, recited songs and collected money. Picton noted that ‘Pasche eggs, Morris dances, and hot cross buns have lingered here with greater perseverance than in most other parts of the country’ (Picton 1875: 2.302).
Padded (adj.): concealing stolen goods. ‘Anyway, he could see I wasn't padded’ (Clerk 1971 [c.1900]: 30). Recorded from e.20c.; an Americanism; derivation is clear.
Paddy (n.): temper; fit of anger. ‘Such a Paddy! Ye could do without it’ (Hallowell 1972: n.p.). ‘Uncle Vernon flew into a paddy’ (Bainbridge 1989: 66). Recorded from l.19c.; based on the stereotypical belief in the fierce temper of Paddy (the Irish).
Paddy Kelly (n.): dock policeman. ‘He was copped by a Paddy Kelly nicking a bit a slummy’ (Shaw 1957a: 7). ‘A “Paddy Kelly” is a dock-policeman’ (Channon 1970: 102). ‘Paddy Kelly meant policeman in the slang we used those days’ (McGovern 1995: 5). ‘Paddy Kelly A docks police officer’ (Spiegl 2000b: 100). ‘Grunting their Good Morning to/the Paddy Kelly on the gate’ (Simpson 2011: 415). Recorded from m.20c.; ‘Liverpool dockers’ slang for “policeman”’ (Partridge s.v. Paddy Kelly); derivation unknown.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Liverpool English DictionaryA Record of the Language of Liverpool 1850–2015 on Historical Principles, pp. 173 - 186Publisher: Liverpool University PressPrint publication year: 2017