subs. (common).—1. In pl. = dancing shoes. Also occasionally as verb. = to don dancing shoes.—GROSE (1785).
1592. NASHE, Pierce Penilesse, His Supplication to the Divell [COLLIER, xxv.]. [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, ii. 10. We hear of PUMPS, opposed to commoner shoes; this is from pomp and luxury.]
1592. SHAKESPEARE, Midsummer Night’s Dream, iv. 2. Get your apparel together, good strings to your beards, new ribbons to your PUMPS. Ibid. (1593), Taming of the Shrew, iv. 1. And Gabriel’s PUMPS were all unpink’d i’ the heel.
1601. JONSON, The Poetaster, iii. 1. Thou shalt not need to travel with thy PUMPS full of gravel any more.
1664. COTTON, Scarronides, or, Virgil Travestie (1st ed.), 59.
| You might have walkt your PUMPS apieces, | |
| Ere light on such a place as this is. |
1840. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (Sir Rupert the Fearless).
| When a gentleman jumps | |
| In the river at midnight for want of ‘the dumps,’ | |
| He rarely puts on his knee-breeches and PUMPS. |
1845. BUCKSTONE, The Green Bushes, i. 2.
| When, to step a lady of high degree, | |
| You put on your PUMPS and are happy indeed. |
1848. THACKERAY, The Book of Snobs, i. The usual attire of a gentleman, viz., PUMPS, a gold waistcoat, a crush hat, a sham frill, and a white choker.
1848. DICKENS, Dombey and Son, xiv. All the young gentlemen tightly cravatted, curled and PUMPED.
1857. W. T. MONCRIEFF, The Bashful Man, i. 2. Go and dress at once; your PUMPS are all ready.
2. (common).—In pl. = the eyes: see GLIM.
1825. BUCKSTONE, Bear Hunters, i. 2. Your PUMPS have been at work—you’ve been crying, girl.
3. (venery).—1. The female pudendum: also PUMP-DALE: see MONOSYLLABLE; (2) = the penis: also PUMP-HANDLE: see PRICK; and (3, Scots’) = a FART (q.v.). As verb. (1) = to copulate: see RIDE; (2) = TO PISS (q.v.): also TO PUMP SHIP (or WATER); and (3) = TO FART (q.v.); TO PUMP OFF = to masturbate: see FRIG.—GROSE (1785).
1706. WARD, The Wooden World Dissected, 3. That sage hit it best … who compared a ship to a Woman … her PUMP-DALE smells strongest when she has the soundest bottom.
1730. Broadside Song, ‘Gee ho, Dobin’ [FARMER, Merry Songs and Ballads (1897), ii. 204].
| I work’d at her PUMP till the Sucker grew dry, | |
| And then I left PUMPING, a good Reason why. | |
| Ibid. | |
| Then Roger’s PUMP HANDLE ran the Devil knows where. |
4. (Scots’).—A public house: see LUSH-CRIB.
5. See verb, sense 1.
6. (common).—A solemn noodle.
Verb. (colloquial).—1. To question artfully; to make one tell without knowing he’s telling; TO SOUND (q.v.). Hence, as subs. = an indirect question; ‘Your PUMP is good but the sucker’s dry!’ = a retort or an attempt TO PUMP.—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785).
1633. JONSON, A Tale of a Tub, IV. iii.
| Ile stand aside whilst thou PUMP’ST out of him | |
| His busines. |
d. 1635. RANDOLPH, The Muse’s Looking-Glass, ii. 4. I’ll in to PUMP my dad, and fetch thee more.
1668. DRYDEN, An Evening’s Love, iii. Maskal, PUMP the Woman; and see if you can discover any thing to save my credit.
1693. CONGREVE, The Old Batchelor, v. 4. She was PUMPING me about how your worship’s affairs stood.
1740. RICHARDSON, Pamela, I. 208. For all her PUMPS, she gave no hint.
1749. FIELDING, Tom Jones, XI. vi. She therefore ordered her maid to PUMP out of him by what means he had become acquainted with her person.
1826. BUCKSTONE, The Death Fetch, ii. 2. She wants to PUMP me, but two words to that bargain.
1837. DICKENS, Pickwick Papers, xvi. Undergoing the process of being PUMPED.
1847. THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, vii. But old Tinker was not to be PUMPED by this little cross-questioner.
1886–96. MARSHALL, ‘Pomes’ from the Pink ’Un [‘The Age of Love’], 26. So she sought him and gently PUMPED him.
1893. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 32. I’ve parted so free to the coachies, and artfully put on the PUMP.
2. (old colloquial).—To duck under the pump: also TO GIVE A TASTE OF THE PUMP (B. E., c. 1696, and GROSE, 1785); ‘CHRISTENED WITH PUMPWATER,’ said of a red-faced boy or girl (RAY, 1760, and GROSE, 1785).
1839. W. H. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard [1889], 13. If he don’t tip the cole without more ado, GIVE HIM A TASTE OF THE PUMP, that’s all.
3. (colloquial).—To go breathless; TO WIND (q.v.); PUMPED OUT (or DRY) = completely blown.—B. E. (c. 1696). Hence PUMPER = anything that PUMPS: as counsel, a race, a course, a spurt, &c.
1860. W. H. RUSSELL, My Diary in India, II. 370. Darkness began to set in, the artillery horses were PUMPED OUT, and orders were given to retire.
1882. The Field, 28 Jan. Tiger … had all the best of a long PUMPING course.
1888. The Sportsman, 28 Nov. She came on the scene when Bismarck was quite PUMPED out.
5. (common).—To vomit; to CAST UP ACCOUNTS (q.v.).—GROSE (1785).
6. (American).—To steal.
1824. Atlantic Magazine, I. 344. Vot I vants to show is the vay in which she PUMPED my fob this ere mornin’.
7. (common).—To cry.
1837. MARRYAT, Snarleyyow; or The Dog Fiend, ix.
| So she did PUMP, | |
| As I did jump | |
| In the boat, and say, ‘Good-by.’ |
