pam, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

pam n.

[Fr. pamphile, a card-game in which the knave of clubs is the highest card, trumping all opposition; ult. Gk pamphilos, beloved of all. The Fr. game was imported to Scot., where pamphie and pawnie were popular alternatives, both meaning knave of clubs, and to England, where pam became the term of choice]

1. the knave of clubs; also in fig. use.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Pam the Knave of Clubbs.
1706		R. Estcourt Fair Example I i: Madam, Scandal is the very Pam in Conversation, and you shou’d always lead it about for the good of the Board.
1745		H. Walpole Letters (1833) II 74: One gets pam, the other gets pam, but... no conclusion of the game, till one side has never a card left [F&H].
1777		Sheridan School for Scandal Epilogue: That spirit-stirring drum! card drums I mean – Spadille, odd Trick, Pam, Basto, King and Queen!
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1859, 1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1914		E. Wittmann ‘Clipped Words’ in DN IV:ii 128: Pam. The Knave of Clubs.
1927		Leeds Mercury 18 Apr. 4/5: ‘The King’s Books’ [...] Pam is the knave of clubs.

2. a popular card-game.

1719		in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy I 331: Phillida with Jockey play’d at Pam.
1810		G. Crabbe ‘Borough’ letter IX in Poetical Wks (1861) 208/1: Faint in the morn, no powers could she exert; at night with Pam delighted and alert .