subs. (common).—1. A turnpike road; and (2) = a tramp, a gypsy (also PIKEY and PIKER): as verb = to walk (also TO PIKE OFF, and TO TIP A PIKE): whence TO PIKE ON THE BEEN = to hook it for all one’s worth. Hence PIKE-KEEPER (or PIKEMAN) = a toll-keeper; TO BILK A PIKE = to cheat a toll-gate.
c. 1530. The Parlament of Byrdes [HAZLITT, Remains of the Early Popular Poetry of England, III. 180]. When his fethers are pluked he may him GO PIKE.
c. 1570. Ane Ballat of Matrymonie [LAING, Early Popular Poetry of Scotland, ii. 77]. He bad them then GO PYKE them home.
1712. J. SHIRLEY, The Triumph of Wit, ‘Budg and Snudg Song,’ 2.
| We file off with his cole | |
| As he PIKES along the street. | |
| Ibid., ‘The Black Procession.’ | |
| Tho’ he TIPS THEM A PIKE, they oft nap him again. |
c. 1789. G. PARKER, The Sandman’s Wedding [FARMER, Musa Pedestris (1896), 65]. Into a booze-ken they PIKE IT.
1826. R. MORLEY, Song, ‘Flashey Joe’ [FARMER, Musa Pedestris (1896), 97].
| So I’ll PIKE OFF with my mack’ral | |
| And you may bolt with your salt cod. |
1837. DICKENS, Pickwick Papers, xxii. ‘What do you mean by a PIKE-KEEPER?’ enquired Mr. Peter Magnus. ‘The old ’un means a turn-pike keeper’ … observed Mr. Weiler.
1857. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, I. iv. Then there was … the cheery toot of the guard’s horn to warn some drowsy PIKEMAN, or the ostler at the next change.
1874. BORROW, Romano Lavo-Lil: Word-Book of the Romany. The people called in Acts of Parliament sturdy beggars and vagrants, in the old cant language Abraham men, and in the modern PIKERS.
1888. BESANT, Fifty Years Ago, 42. The turnpike has gone, and the PIKEMAN … has gone … and the gates have been removed.
3. (American: Southern States).—A poor white.
1873. C. NORDHOFF, California: for Health, Pleasure, and Residence, 138. The true ‘Pike,’ however, in the Californian sense of the word, is the wandering gypsy-like Southern poor white.
4. (venery).—The penis: see PRICK.
1600. SHAKESPEARE, Much Ado about Nothing, v. 2. You must put in the PIKES with a vice; and they are dangerous weapons for maids.
Verb. (old).—1. See subs., sense 1.
2. (old).—To die: also TO PIKE OFF: see HOP THE TWIG.
3. (American gaming).—To play cautiously and for small stakes. Hence PIKER = a moderate punter.
TO PASS THE PIKES, verb. phr. (old).—To be out of danger.—B. E. (c. 1696).
1648. HERRICK, Hesperides, ‘His Cavalier.’
| This, this a virtuous man can doe, | |
| Saile against Rocks, and split them too; | |
| I! and a world of PIKES PASSE THROUGH. |
d. 1663. SANDERSON, Works, ii. 45. Neither John’s mourning nor Christ’s piping can PASS THE PIKES.
1675. J. HACKET, Transfiguration (3rd Sermon). There were many PIKES TO BE PASSED THROUGH, a complete order of afflictions to be undergone and accomplished.
