Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an adolescent girl, usu. in a sexual context; thus pullet-party n., a party for teenage girls (and boys).

1578		T. Lupton All for Money E1: Olde mother Croote Would as fayne be trode as a yonger pullet.
c.1617		Fletcher Chances II iii: I talk of wenches, Of cocks and Hens [...] this is the Pullet We two went proud after.
c.1629		R. Brome City Wit V i: cra.: A wench as tender as a City Pullet. ruf.: But not so rotten.
c.1665		‘Plurality Parson’ Harleian Mss. 6913.112: [The parson] getts his Maid with Child and marries her to his Man [who] was coak’st to lay his legg Over a Virgin Pullett great with Egg. I mar’l her Mistress did not slitt her Nock Knowing that she was trod by her own Cock.
1674		T. Duffet Epilogue Spoken by Heccate and Three Witches 35: For the wary squeamish Critick Lover, A Dainty Virgin Pullet sits above there.
1677		Behn Rover IV ii: [H]e’s a Cormorant at Whore and Bacon, he’d have a Limb or two of thee, my Virgin Pullet.
1701		Johnson Gentleman-Gully III i: [A] Virgin Pullet, was there plying to get a penny.
1713		W. King York Spy 9: [She would] shew ’em where the best Virgin Pullet Roosted.
1725		Bailey (trans.)Erasmus’ Colloquies II 83: I march’d off, remov’d to another Place with my Pullet, and she brought me some young Chicken.
1732		‘Jeremy Jingle’ Spiritual Fornication 8: A Virgin Pullet, plump and white, To please his carnal Appetite.
1786		F. Pilon He Would be a Soldier VI ii: sir o.: Why, what the devil, man! aren’t you content with one of my chickens, but you must have my old hen in the bargain? la. o.: Old hen! sir o.: Yes, my Lady; when I had you first you were no pullet.
c.1790		‘Larry’s Stiff’ in Luke Caffrey’s Gost 8: Den de heffers began to huzza! / Dat de battle was won by de pullet.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 141: Pullet [...] a female barn-door fowl, which has not yet produced eggs. Young women are so denominated, occasionally; and sometimes we have ‘virgin-pullet, who though often trod has never laid’.
1834		Ely’s Hawk & Buzzard (NY) 15 Mar. 2/2: Pretty fair articles pass off [...] and Jackson pullets command some attention by the old bank cocks.
1837–8		‘Sam Swipes’ Cuckold’s Nest 21: She’s a precious young pullet, but that I don’t mind, / For she always takes care that I have a good ---.
1844		New Sprees of London 21: [The] infamous Cadgers' Palace, the daily and nightly resort of the most daring cracksmen, dragsmen, schofel pitchers, grigs, pulletts, beggars, and impostors of every grade.
1851		‘A Sleep-Walking Incident’ in Burke Polly Peablossom’s Wedding 172: I’m agwine to kill a mink what’s been among my pullets!
1855		Yokel’s Preceptor 8: The Swedish Giantess. This gigantic pullet may be seen nightly on the look-out in Coventry-street.
1861		N.E. Police Gaz. (Boston, MA) 5 Oct. 8/3: Here are some young pullets [list of initialized names] We advise the mothers of these girls to look after them a little more.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 7: Pullet - A young girl. Filly, exchangeable term.
1886		Reynold’s Newspaper (London) 12 Dec. 2/2: ‘The pullet wants a drink,’ said a hideous old woman.
1891		A. Day Mysterious Beggar 216: She takes a young gal ’long with her. She puts bellerdoner [...] in ’er own eyes. Then th’ young pullet leads ’er.
1895		Truth (Sydney) 19 May 4/6: [headline] Procuring Pullets for Patrician Profligates [...] Mrs Seymour said if I could procure some young girls it would be worth our while.
1902		Bulletin (Sydney) 30 Oct. 14/4: A wealthy court-widower [...] spends much of his income giving gorgeous sprees to very young and tender pullet-parties. He prefers the society of the callow youth and the unsophisticated girleen to that of more sophisticated and frisky people.
1908		D.G. Phillips Susan Lenox I 250: Bob, we’re going to let the pullet in on the profits equally, aren’t we?
1923		R. McAlmon Companion Volume 195: These Italian girls know how to golddig as well as them chorus pullets you hang around with in New York.
1933		(con. 1900s) C. McKay Banana Bottom 217: An you’ll be a cluckin’ pullet yet by de time dat Jubilee cock done finish wid you.
1944		D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 101: I’ve got chicks and hens, fryers and broilers, bantams and pullets, and some that are spoilers.
1962		S. Longstreet Flesh Peddlers (1964) 43: Some little French pullet that looked photogenic in a towel and had a girl-child’s promising little leer.

2. (UK Und.) a young woman who accompanies a ruffler n., i.e. a vagrant posing as a discharged soldier as a disguise for robbery.

1632

N. Goodman Hollands Leaguer in Henke Gutter Life and Lang. (1988) 212: There was not a Carrier that had a crackt piece, but she had coyne to exchange it, there was not a Poulterer that brought up a yong or tender pullet, but it was bought for her dyet.

3. an effeminate male homosexual.

1729

Hell upon Earth 43: It would be a pretty Scene to behold them in their Clubs and Cabals, how they assume the Air and affect the Name of Madam or Miss, Betty or Molly, with a chuck under the Chin, and O you bold Pullet I’ll break your Eggs, and then frisk and walk away to make room for another, who then accosts the affected Lady, with Where have you been you saucy Queen? If I catch you Stroulling and Caterwauling, I’ll beat the Milk out of your Breasts I will so.