subs. (common).—1. A black balloting ball: see BLACKBALL. Also as verb.—to reject by ballot.
1855. THACKERAY, The Newcomes, xxx. He was coming on for election at Bays, and was as nearly PILLED as any man I ever knew in my life.
1901. Free Lance, 27 April, 74, 1. The ex-acrobat, as every one knows, was badly PILLED—some people being malicious enough to say that, although he had a proposer and a seconder, there was not a single white ball!
2. (common).—A disagreeable or objectionable person; a BORE (q.v.): also of events—‘a BITTER PILL.’
1548. UDALL, Paraphrase of Erasmus, Luke iv. Yet cannot thei abyde to swallow down ye holsome PILLE of viritie beeyng bittur in theyr mouthes.
1580. J. LYLY, Euphues, 468. Thinking … that the time was past to woe hir, that an other was to webbe, I digested the PILL which had almost choakt me.
1595. SHAKESPEARE, Two Gentlemen of Verona, ii. 4.
| Val. O, flatter me; for love delights in praises. | |
| Pro. When I was sick, you gave me BITTER PILLS; | |
| And I must minister the like to you. |
1749. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 191. This decision was a BITTER PILL for me to swallow.
1785. JEFFERSON, To Madison, 25 April [BANCROFT, History of the Formation of the Constitution of the United States of America, I. 430]. He said the renunciation of this interest was a BITTER PILL which they could not swallow.
1897. W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM, Liza of Lambeth, iii. Well, you are a PILL.
4. (American).—A bullet: also BLUE-PILL (q.v.).
18[?]. Drake’s Magazine, ‘He Died Game’ [A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant]. He had always told him he’d run plumb ag’in’ a PILL some day if he wan’t blanked careful like.
Verb. 1. See subs. 1.
2. (university).—To twaddle; to talk platitudes.
THE PILLS, subs. phr. (military).—The Royal Army Medical Corps. Also “The Licensed Lancers”; “The Poultice Wallopers”; and “The Linseed Lancers.” Also (generally) PILLS = a doctor or surgeon.
1899. Cassell’s Saturday Journal, 15 March, 1, 1. “PILLS, are they all mad on board that vessel, or merely drunk, as usual?”
TO GILD THE PILL, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To sweeten a bitter thing, soften a hard thing, beautify an ugly thing, explain away a sure thing; to present the inevitable as though it were optional: TO GAMMON (q.v.). Also PILL.
1612. WEBSTER, The White Devil, iii. 2.
| Vit. Cor. I discern poison | |
| Under your GILDED PILLS. |
1740. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas, IV. iii. I … began to GILD THE PILL, and … prove that this mad project was no more than an agreeable frolic. Ibid., IV. vii. The good old man … GILDED THE PILL I was to swallow with a present of fifty ducats.
1899. Critic, 8 April, 3, 2. He quotes Goldsmith, then himself; his desire being to GILD THE PILL.
TO PILL AND POLL, verb. phr. (old).—To pillage and strip: specifically in modern usage (thieves’), to cheat a comrade of his REGULARS (q.v.): Fr. faire l’ésgard. Whence (POLL-THIEF, or POLLER) = (1) a thief; and (2) an informer.
d. 1529. SKELTON [DYCE, Works, ii. 29]. With POLLYNG and shaving. Ibid. [i. 204]. Like voluptuous harlottes, that … to haue their goodes, presenteth to them their beddes for to take their carnall desires; and after they haue taken all their disportes, they PILL theim as an onion.
| Ibid., The Maner of the World, 147. | |
| So many baudes and POLLERS, | |
| Sawe I never. | |
| Ibid., Colyn Cloute, 362. | |
| By POOLYNGE and PYLLAGE | |
| In cytyes and vyllage. |
1548. EDWARD HALL, The Union of the Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and York, Henry the Sixt, p. v. And haue wynked at the POLLYNG and extorcion of his vnmeasurable officiers.
c. 1577. GASCOIGNE, h. 3 b. [NARES]. Bicause they PILL AND POLL, because they wrest.
1587. HOLINSHED, Description of Ireland, F7, col. 2a. Kildare did use to PILL AND POLL his friendes, tenants, and reteyners.
1596. SPENSER, The Fairie Queene, V. ii. 6. Which POLS and PILS the poor in piteous wise.
1597. SHAKESPEARE, Richard II., ii. 1.
| The Commons he hath PILL’D with grievous taxes, | |
| And quite lost their hearts. | |
| Ibid., Richard III., i. 3. | |
| Hear me, you wrangling pirates, that fell out | |
| In sharing that which you have PILL’D from me! |
1600. W. KEMP, Nine Daies Wonder [ARBER, English Garner, vii. p. 37]. One that … would POL his father, Derick his dad, doe anie thing, how ill so euer, to please his apish humour.
1610. Mirror for Magistrates, 279. The prince thereby presumed his people for TO PILL. Ibid., 467. Can PILL, AND POLL, and catch before they crave. Ibid. They would not bear such POLLING.
1621. BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy, 41. Great man in office may securely rob whole provinces, undo thousands, PILL AND POLL.
d. 1626. BACON, Judicature [quoted in Century from edition 1887]. Neither can justice yield her fruit with sweetness among the briars and brambles of catching and POLLING clerks and ministers.
1648. HERRICK, Hespirides, ‘Duty to Tyrants.’ Doe they first PILL thee? next, pluck off thy skin?
1675. CROWNE, The Country Wit, ii. ’Tis a rare thing to be an absolute Prince, and have rich subjects. Oh, how one may PILL ’em and POLL ’em.
1893. P. H. EMERSON, Signor Lippo, v. I spose he wants to accuse us of POLLING—a thing I never done in my life, and I know my other pals are as straight as darts. Ibid., vi. I have often met honourable robbers since like the POLLER.
