parson, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

parson n.

[the parson supposedly ‘sets people in the right way’]

a signpost, esp. a finger-post.

[1696		G. Granville She-Gallants II 1: Parsons that point out Roads they ne're go].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Parson, a guide post, hand or finger post by the road side for directing travellers, compared to a parson, because like him it sets people in the right way.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).
1891		Tuapeka Times (Otago, NZ) 12 Aug. 6/4: On country roads the signposts are called by criminals ‘parsons’’.

In derivatives

parsoned (adj.)

married.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

In compounds

Parson Palmer (n.) [a real-life, if forgotten, clergyman]

anyone who stops the communal glass circulating by talking before passing it on.

1738		Swift Polite Conversation in Works (1766) XI 197: lord sm.: (Interrupting him.) Pray, Sir John, did you ever hear of Parson Palmer? sir john: No, my Lord; what of him? lord sm.: Why, he used to preach over his Liquor.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Parson palmer, a jocular name or term of reproach, to one who stops the circulation of the glass by preaching over his liquor, as it is said was done by a parson of that name, whose cellar was under his pulpit.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1840		N. Wales Chron. 21 Jan. 4/3: Give us back our little skillet an’ gridiron, an’ leave off your Parson Palmer orations.
1884		Newcastle Courant 21 Mar. 2/1: The name ‘arson Palmer’ was applied to anybody who stopped the bottle, or who held forth over his liquor as one Palmer Palmer did.

Parson Prunello (n.)

see Mr Prunella under Mr n.

parson’s barn (n.)

a place that is ‘never so full but there is still room for more’ (Grose, 1788).

c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.:
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn).
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

parson’s face (n.)

1. (US) a bullock’s head as used in cooking.

1908

Bemidji Daily Pioneer (MN) 30 Mar. 2/2: Scouse or lobscouse, a parson’s face sea pie, junk, tack, slush and duff —there’s a meal ye can’t beat [...] A parson’s face seapie. That’s a pie made of bullock’s head.

2. see minister’s face n.

parson’s mousetrap (n.) [the role played by a clergyman in solemnizing the wedding ceremony + mousetrap n. (1)]

marriage.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Mouse-trap, The Parson’s Mouse-trap, Marriage.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

parson’s nose (n.) (also deacon’s nose) [the religious official varies according to one’s faith, so pope’s nose under pope n. is usu. Protestant use]

the rump of a chicken, duck, goose or other poultry; usu. in Catholic use (cf. bishop’s nose n.).

1839		Longfellow Hyperion I 142: At its other extremity, the day, like the fowls of the air, has an epicurean morsel—a parson’s nose .
1843		N.Y. Sporting Whip 4 Feb. n.p.: The parson’s nose he tendered to a lady who is very partial to choice bits.
1847		Bell’s Life in Sydney 30 Jan. 3/5: Sir Alfred Stephens almost choked himself with laughter at the joke, at the same time digesting the ‘parson’s nose’ of a goose.
1855		T. Haliburton Nature and Human Nature II 8: Mr. Slick, what part shall I help you to – a slice of breast, a wing, a side-bone, or the deacon’s nose, or what?
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict. 247: Parson’s nose the hind part of a goose ? a savoury mouthful [Hotten 1865], [Hotten 1872]; … Sometimes called the pope’s nose.
1897		Cornishman 22 July 2/1: The cooked tails of poultry resemble some forms of mitres. Hence we get Pope’s nose (in Ireland) and Parson’s nose in England.
1900		Reno (NV) Eve. Gazette 28 Apr. 2/2: The rump of a fowl is the ‘pope’s,’ ‘parson’s’ or ‘bishop’s nose.’.
1900		S. Mackenzie [perf. Arthur Roberts] ‘Aftr You With That’ 🎵 ‘I’m keeping my eye on the parson’s nose / So after you with that!’.
1905		H. Champion ‘I See You’ve Got the Old Brown Hat On’ [monologue] I spotted a lump with fat on, I said as I arose, ‘Is that the parson’s nose?’.
1926		Wood & Goddard Dict. Amer. Sl.

parson’s week (n.) [irrespective of other duties, the clergyman’s trad. ‘working day’ is Sunday]

Monday to Saturday, esp. a holiday that lasts from Monday to Saturday.

1800

letter to H.F. Carey in Works I 144: I can [...] contrive to get my duty done for a Sunday, so that I may be out a ‘Parson’s week’.

parson’s wife (n.) [pun on SE vicar’s/Vicker’s + gin n.¹ (1)/SE gin]

(Aus.) gin, esp. Vicker’s Gin.

1953

Baker Aus. Speaks.

Parson Trulliber (n.) [‘the pig-feeding and the pig-headed’ (Hotten, 1873); note epon. character in Fielding’s Joseph Andrews (1742)]

a rude, vulgar country clergyman.

1834		London Standard 14 Jan. 1/4: A modern Fielding would be very much at a loss for a Parson Trulliber.
1836		Morn. Chron. 28 Jan. 3/3: [title] Parson Trulliber in His tantrums.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. 196: Parson Trulliber a rude, vulgar, country clergyman; the race is most probably now extinct.
1867		Sportsman 21 Nov. 2/1: Notes on News [...] The swinish coarseness of Parson Trulliber.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1885		Western Dly Press 17 Aug. 3/6: The disruptions which had rent the Church in twain had come not from the fox-hunting, hard-drinking clergy of the last century [...] nort from Parson Trulliber, but from John Wesley.