To close one’s mouth.
1799. Instead of saying grace decently, as he used to do, he called out attention—handle arms—and for grace after dinner—now shut pans.—Mass. Spy, Jan. 2.
1833. Shut pan, and sing dumb, or I’ll throw you into the drink.—J. K. Paulding, ‘The Banks of the Ohio,’ i. 213 (Lond.).
1833. If I didn’t make ’em shut their pans quicker than a flash of lightning.—Id., ii. 92.
1835. I shut pan on the subject, and fell to eating my dinner.—‘Col. Crockett’s Tour,’ p. 102.
1841. No one rose. No one broke silence. Shut pan seemed to be the word of command on the left side of this chamber.—Mr. Benton of Missouri, U.S. Senate, July 7: Cong. Globe, p. 123, App.
1853. Spicer raised his hand to stop the speech, but the lawyer wouldn’t shut pan, till a look brought Joe White’s rifle to his cheek.—S. A. Hammett (‘Philip Paxton’), ‘A Stray Yankee in Texas,’ p. 139.
1855. “Now jest stop, Axy,” said he, “jest shet pan now I tell ye; and don’t open your face again.”—C. W. Philleo, ‘Twice Married,’ Putnam’s Mag., vi. 246/1 (Sept.).
