Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a prostitute.

c.1780

pamphlet title The only true list, of those celebrated SPORTING LADIES, or Petticoat Amblers, who afford the Bucks and Bloods an amorous Felicity every Evening during the RACES.

a domestic relationship in which the wife dominates her husband, or a mother her child.

1691		N. Ward ‘The Poet’s Ramble after Riches’ in Writings (1704) 15: The rest, as well as he, God-wot, / Being Govern’d by the Petticoat [...] With Sparkling Eyes, and Flaming Noses, / They all reel’d Home unto their Spouses.
1699		N. Ward London Spy X 248: I believe, happen’d most of them [i.e. ‘good Sober Citizens’] to be Enslav’d under Petticoat-Government.
1715		S. Centlivre Gotham Election I i: With all my Heart; hang Petticoat Government I zay.
1734		C. Johnson Hist. of Highwaymen &c. 82: While under this Petticoat Rule, / The men were oblig’d to submit.
1748		Spy on Mother Midnight II 14: It was in vain to complain to the Father, he was under Petticoat-Government, and durst not find Fault with any thing done by his Sovereign Lady.
1765		H. Brooke Fool of Quality (1860) I 255: I am quite impatient to be instructed in the policies and constitution of this your petticoat government.
1772		G. Stevens ‘Silenus & Cupid’ Songs Comic and Satyrical 13: Ye Husbands, too fond, who are Feminine-fool’d, / And tamely, by Petticoat Government rul’d.
1806		G. Colman Yngr John Bull IV i: If the voters are under petticoat government, he has a mighty good chance of his election.
1812		‘Hector Bull-us’ Diverting Hist. of John Bull and Brother Jonathan 64: He became quite hen-pecked, and quietly submitted to petticoat government.
1821		‘A Real Paddy’ Real Life in Ireland 267: It was something new to see an Irishman under petticoat government.
1831		‘Gallery of 140 Comicalities’ Bell’s Life in London 24 June 1/4: Petticoat Government [...] we fully acknowledge our right and title to ‘wear the breeches’.
1838		T. Haliburton Clockmaker II 91: The husband is a slave [...] when he’s under petticoat government.
1841		‘Petticoat Government’ Dublin Comic Songster 167: Ye husbands and bachelors all [...] now I must make you awar, / We are all under petticoat government.
1849		Sam Sly 3 Feb. 3/1: [H]e is of opinion that two or three months’ confinement in a lunatic asylum would do her good, and relieve her husband [...] from petticoat government.
c.1850		Peeping Tom (London) 37 146/3: Her husband, a professionally eminent man, under petticoat rule.
1853		‘Cuthbert Bede’ Adventures of Mr Verdant Green (1982) I 7: But though thus put under petticoat government, Mr Verdant Green was not altogther freed from those tyrants of youth the dead languages.
1868		London Standard 6 June 3/4: Mr Buckstione was necver more amusing than in his delineation of the innocent old squire — happy under petticoat government.
1871		Birmingham Dly Post 22 Sept. 6/4: [headline] ‘Home Rule’ Petticoat Government.
1896		‘’Arry on Blues & Bluestockings’ Punch 21 Mar. 135/1: We’re a deal too much petticoat governed, a rule that means treacle and pap.
1898		J.D. Brayshaw Slum Silhouettes 11: D’ye mane to tell me [...] that a man wid any since wud consint to remain under petticoat gover’mint?
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 21 Apr. 31/1: M’Pherson, who was under strict petticoat government, did not dare reply, and his better half chuckled, and went on.
1914		Sport (Adelaide) 24 July 3/7: Jack don’t like it, but he must not say so, as he is under petticoat government .
1915		M.G. Hayden ‘Terms Of Disparagement’ in DN IV:iii 210: petticoat-affair, -government, female rule. ‘I am decidedly opposed to petticoat-government.’.
1929		Nottingham Eve. Post 20 May 4/5: A country with well over a quarter of a million of this safe type of woman, influencing those around her, has not a great deal to fear, surely, from petticoat government.

a husband’s interest in his wife’s estate, limited to his lifetime only.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Pettycoat hold, one who has an estate during his wife’s life, called the apron string hold.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

a womanizer, thus petticoat-hunting, womanizing, searching for female companionship (and sex).

[c.1790		‘The Tralee Girl’ Luke Caffrey’s Gost 6: For the game I was chasing was under the petticoat].
1829		Vidocq Memoirs (trans. W. McGinn) III 113: As he is a petticoat hunter, I am sure we shall find him amongst the women in the Place aux Veaux.
1845		J.L. Hilpert Englisch-Deutsches und Deutsch-Englisches Wörterbuch 1 570/1: Strünzen v. intr. [rather low] to go a petticoat-hunting, to prowl about for a piece .
1891		Critic & Record (DC) 8 May 4/2: ‘Say, Napoleon, does you wife make scenes [...] scenes of jealousy, for example?’ ‘No.’ ‘Well, that is strange, for you are a petticoat hunter’.
1908		Pacific Monthly XX 386: He was a notorious petticoat-hunter, went about with models, had affairs with fellow-artists, and compromised the women of his social circle.
1916		G. Cannan Three Sons and a Mother 268: I found a letter to say that she had gone with her lover, Hubert, of all people; Hubert, the petticoat-hunter, Hubert, the effeminate.
1920		S.A. Tannebaum Psyche and Eros I–II 70: It has become a custom to call every petticoat-hunter a Don Juan.
1945		G-2 Section, US Seventh Army Dachau Liberated (2000) 70: Unterscharführer (sergeant) Stiebitz, was known as the greatest petticoat hunter in the camp. It was his charge to take the men to the brothel.

a pimp.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

see squire of the petticoat under squire n.

the money a prostitute gives her pimp, or a woman gives her ‘kept’ lover.

1700

T. Brown Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1744) III 137: How now, you two confederate brimstones, where are you swimming with your fine top-knots, to invite some Irish bully or Scotch Highlander to scour your cloven furbelows for a petticoat pension?

a kept man; a heterosexual male prostitute, a gigolo.

1698		Bawdy-House Tragedy or Barbarous Murder of Mrs. Mary Duckenfield 1: A Gang of Pimps, Petticoat-Pensioners, and such like Villains, set upon and dragg’d her from one end of the House to another.
1699		N. Ward London Spy VII 166: Some of them [...] are Pensioners to the Petticoat, some Boretto-Men at the Groom-Porters.
1707		Humours of a Coffee-House 21 Nov. 57: I wish all the Reforming Scoundrels, who turn Petticoat Pensioners, the same Fate; for they keep the Jades so Poor.
1714		N. Ward ‘Of the Comforts of a Petticoat-Pensioner’ Miseries of Whoring 163: When rigg’d, he often Man’s her thro’ the Street, / And if a golden Chubb by chance they meet, / He takes his leave.
1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: Pettycoat-Pensioner, a Gallant, or one Maintain’d for secret Service.
1725		View of London and Westminster 53: I have not yet taken care of the numerous Band of Pettitcoat-Pensioners, who are at this time in the City, begetting young Merchants and Shop-keepers.
1734		Pretty Doings in a Protestant Nation [title page] Inscribed to the Bona-Roba’s in the several Hundreds, Chaces, Parks and Warrens, North, East, West and South of Covent-Garden; and to the Band of Petticoat Pensioners, etc.
1753		Dict. of Love n.p.: QuarterQuarter is sometimes the debt of a superannuated lady to some petty-coat pensioner Adonis, upon whom she has no beauty to operate, but that of her strong-box.
1779		Nocturnal Revels 2 225: Some of the most capital Riding-Masters* in the three Kingdoms, always ready to mount at a minute’s warning [...] *Stallions, alias Petticoat-Pensioners.
1785		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Pettycoat pensioner, one kept by a woman for secret services .
1791		Bon Ton Mag. Mar. 15/2: Condemned to the eternal neglect of the male sex unless their pin-money, or their purses, can procure them a petticoat pensioner, or a riding master.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum n.p.: Petticoat Pensioner. One kept by a woman for secret services.
1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 220: [note] These unfortunate women [...] carry their fondness to such an excess for those ‘petticoat pensioners’.
1830		Egan Finish to the Adventures of Tom and Jerry (1889) 242: He [...] scorns the fellow who is despicable enough to reduce himself to become a petticoat pensioner* [*Detestable wretches who live upon the money obtained by the prostitution of unfortunate women].
1839		Liberty Advocate (MS) 17 Oct. 1/5: She has, since the marriage [...] enturely supported her ‘dear Edward’ [...] The latter was bred a physician which profession he has abandoned for that of a ‘petticoat pensioner’.
1840		Flash Mirror 11: Why is a lady’s pensioner like a bantam cock? — Because he’s cock of the walk.
1844		New Sprees of London 3: I'll introduce you to the Shicksters, Swells, Gonniffs, Leary Coves, Pentioners, Prigs, Cracksmen, Duffers, Smashers [etc].
1877		Cecil Whig (Elkton, MD) 25 Aug. 1/5: He would remember an ugly word applied to the husband of a rich woman and the mere thought of being called a petticoat pensioner would redden his cheek with shame.
1881		Sacramento Dly Record Union (CA) 1 jan. 13/5: Would you have me called a petticoat pensioner, Helen?
1882		Democratic Northwest (Napoleon, OH) 30 Mar. 1/2: You have a lofty ambition [...] to be a pensioner on some girl’s petticoat. These girls of whom you so sneeringly speak are rich compared to you.
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 57: Pensioner, man who lives on the earnings of a prostitute.
1904		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 12 Oct. 4/2: Many of these flash fellows are the pensioners of fallen women.
1912		Dly Capital Jrnl (Salem, OR) 31 July 1/2: Huff referred to Speer as a ‘petticoat pensioner’ and a venal and corrupt judge.

(Aus.) one who is beloved by women.

1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Aug. 12/3: This cheery little violinist is a downright petticoat pet, and whenever he’s billed to perform lots of nice girls put up prayers for his success.
1901		Bulletin (Sydney) 27 July 12/3: At a recent Princess matinee, Dani, petticoat-pet of the moment, sat by himself in the d.c. bashfully holding a newspaper up to his face to hide his blushes.

a domineering wife.

1725

Bailey (trans.) Erasmus’ Colloquies 186: What does this Petticoat Preacher do here, get you in, and mind your Kitchen.

see petticoat government

to have sexual intercourse.

1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1896		Farmer Vocabula Amatoria (1966) 232: Rehausser le linge. To copulate; ‘to go under-petticoating’.

of a man, to have sexual intercourse.

1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1980		Maledicta IV:2 (Winter) 196: The terms used for copulating […] are not really euphemistic because it is implicit that no ambiguity could possibly result and, unlike euphemisms, they are, or used to be, avoided in polite, mixed company. Related to this group are the allusive up her petticoats, up her way, play at up-tails-all.

see take a turn among her frills under take v.