Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a socially or sexually inexperienced man [reverse anthropomorphism].

1544		A. Alesius Of the auctorite of the word of god n.p.: [T]hat curse that the puppy bloweth out vnder the name of almighty god .
1593		G. Harvey Pierce’s Supererogation 218: The same man hath such a Whipsy-doxy in store for a Iack-sauce, or vnmannerly puppy.
c.1610		Shakespeare Winter’s Tale IV iii: Very wisely, puppies!
c.1620		Beaumont & Fletcher Little French Lawyer II iii: Goe bid your lady seeke some foole, to fawne on her, Some unexperienc’d puppie to make sport with.
1633		Jonson Tale of a Tub II i: Ball? he’s a puppy!
1639		Chapman & Shirley Ball IV i : Oh, my soul, How it does blush to know thee! bragging puppy!
1654		Proceedings before his Highness Councel concerning the Petitioners of the Isle of Ely against George Clapthorne Esqyure 27 Oct. 5: The said Anne Martin called him Puppily-foole, and said, the old Justice Clapthorne had offered her eighteen shillings for an occupying.
1660		Wandring Whore III 7: Of whose abode, what she is [...] this ignorant Puppy knowes nothing.
1671		‘A Furious Scold’ in Ebsworth Westminster Drolleries (1875) 37: She’l begin to scold and to brawl, And to call me Puppy and Cuckold.
1677		Behn Rover III ii: Blunt. Oh, I’m a cursed Puppy,’tis plain, Fool was writ upon my Forehead, she perceiv’d it,—saw the Essex Calf there.
1679		Rochester ‘A Letter from Artemiza [...] to [...] Chloe’ in Works (1999) 70: The unbred puppy, that had never seen / A creature look so gay, or talk so fine.
1680		M. Stevenson Wits Paraphras’d 14: When straight the Puppy fell a yelping / What Bitch of mine has been a whelping?
1697		Vanbrugh Provoked Wife I i: The surly puppy! Yet, he’s a fool for it.
1704		Swift Tale of a Tub 106: What a couple of blind, positive, ignorant, wilful Puppies you are.
1717		Cibber Non-Juror I i: A sawcy Puppy.
1734		C. Johnson Hist. of Highwaymen &c. 113: But are not you an impudent Puppy to tell me that you have read Tully [...] when here’s visible proof that you never touched him.
1741		Garrick Lying Valet II i: ’Sdeath, this puppy’s impertinence is an addition to my misery.
1753		Foote Englishman in Paris in Works (1799) I 36: The men are all puppies, mincing and dancing.
1764		Foote Mayor of Garrat in Works (1799) I 171: A prying, impertinent puppy!
1775		Sheridan Rivals (1776) II i: To be monkey-led for a night! – to run the gauntlet thro’ a string of amorous palming puppies!
1782		‘A Country Assizes’ in A. Carpenter Verse in Eng. in 18C Ireland (1998) 406: The clod-pate squire [...] / Swears, drinks and games with puppies, prigs and smarts.
1785		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘Lyric Odes’ Works (1794) I 89: The Muse [...] Could call fool, puppy, blockhead and ‘what not’.
1794		R. Cumberland Jew II i: Hold your tongue, puppy!
1802		G. Colman Yngr Poor Gentleman III i: You! you forward puppy!
1821		W.T. Moncrieff Tom and Jerry I viii: Witness that puppy, staring us out of countenance with his quizzing glass yonder.
1830		Ely’s Hawk & Buzzard (NY) 3 July 2/3: What gentleman would wish to disgrace himself by being put on a par with a common puppy?
1833		‘The Dandy Petticoat’ in Swell!!! or, Slap-Up Chaunter 5: I met a dandy ass who was followed by a blade; / I saw this puppy a spying, so eager thro’ a glass.
1842		S. Lover Handy Andy 46: ‘Just look at the puppy!’ snarled out Growling.
1845		Bell’s Life in Sydney 6 Sept. 2/6: The defendant called him a ‘d—d puppy,’ and pulled his nose.
1849		G.G. Foster N.Y. in Slices 79: A straight-forward look into their eyes will cow them as instantaneously as it will any other impudent puppy.
1849		Sam Sly 27 Jan. 2/2: SAM advises that conceited puppy W—m S—th [...] not to strut up and down the Commercial-road insulting every female he meets.
1854		F. Smedley Harry Coverdale’s Courtship 30: There’s that confounded puppy, D’Almayne, swaggering up to Alice.
1854		Delhi Sketch Bk 1 Apr. 47/2: She told me this morning that she thought you a stupid puppy.
1862		Thackeray Adventures of Philip (1899) 599: An upstart, an arrogant conceited puppy [...] What do you know of him, with his monstrous puppyism and arrogance?
1873		W.H. Thomes Slaver’s Adventures 108: ‘She has caught a glimpse of my face, and she is dying to become acquainted with me,’ was the puppy’s affected reply.
1875		‘Aliph Cheem’ Lays of Ind (1905) 30: ‘A d—d young puppy; just like ’em all- / Some d—d young monied cad!’.
1880		Bulletin (Sydney) 30 Oct. 4/3: The Police of Woollahra have made a raid on the unregistered dogs, but they have left two well dressed puppies to roam about Queen-street after 8 o'clock at night.
1885		Hants. Teleg. 16 May 11/7: No, I don’t flirt, but it is impossible to keep some conceited puppies from making fools of themselves.
1899		Boy’s Own Paper 28 Jan. 275: Do you mean that as an insult to me, you insolent young puppy?
1901		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 Dec. 20/2: This high collered segar suckin puppy luvved my angel.
1916		G. Squiers More Skitologues 19: Curse him, the upstart puppy.
1921		Lillyn Browne ‘Bad Land Blues’ 🎵 And when I meet that baby who stole my lady, / That no-good puppy, / There ain’t no maybe!
1935		N. Algren Somebody in Boots 135: Puppy, yo’ keep awn a-pesterin’ me an’ sho’ as shucks ah’ll beat yo’ ’eahs down.
1956		J. Curtis Look Long Upon a Monkey 46: It was a shame that Mark, who was willing to learn, should deem this self-opinionated young puppy a real trustworthy guide.
1960		G.W. Target Teachers (1962) 174: ‘You impudent young puppy!’ shouted Mr Purnell.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 148: Females, like males, talked about undesirable men in terms of being [...] socially inexperienced or inept (puppy, dunce head).
1987		Eble Campus Sl. Oct. 5: puppy – friendly noun of address: How’s it going, puppy?

2. the penis [play on SE, but note dog n.² (3)].

1709		N. Ward Compleat and Humorous Account of Remarkable Clubs (1756) 94: The mask’d Ladies who [will] open the Wicket of Love’s Bear-Garden, to any bold Sportsman who has a venturesome Mind to give Run to his Puppy.
1725		N. Ward Amorous Bugbears 41: I singl’d out a fine young Doe the last time I was here, and run my Puppy at her, but came off so like a Dog that had burnt his Tail, that I have cried out Fire ever since.

3. a blind man [the blindness of new-born puppies].

1900

J. Conrad Lord Jim 105: His eyes are right enough – don’t you worry. He ain’t a puppy.

4. cowardice [var. on dog n.² (1)].

1931

D. Runyon ‘Tobias the Terrible’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 110: I can see that there is some puppy in you.

5. in the context of the small size.

6. (US Und.) a stolen car that has been painted prior to resale.

1948		Mencken Amer. Lang. Supplement II 724: Bender, tomato or puppy. A stolen car.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

7. a love-sick young man.

1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 178: Puppy dog Be excessively submissive to your girl friend. Puppy-dog, be a Obsessed with sex because of deprivation.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 250: puppy, a [...] 2. Love-sick male. 3. Devoted lover.
1999		Eve. Standard 4 June 29: Madonna is roughly twice the age of our favourite pop puppy.

8. an idea, a suggestion [used as a generic].

1989

C. Hiaasen Skin Tight 204: Shouldn’t we run this puppy by the lawyers?

9. (US) a handgun.

[1855		W.G. Simms Forayers 356: ‘Missed him, by jingo!’ [...] Dern the puppies! I don’t believe in pistols no how].
1975		N. De Mille Smack Man (1991) 19: I could clap you with my fucking puppy in the right here and now. His puppy was the long-barrel .45, also called a yeng, a gong, or a tool.
1995		S. Moore In The Cut 98: I have new words for the dictionary. [...] puppy, handgun.

10. (N.Z. prison) an inmate being transferred between prisons [‘As one inmate explains: “They drag you around like a puppy on a leash”’ Loooser (2001)].

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 148/1: puppy n. 2 an inmate on transfer between prisons, because, 3 an informer.

11. (N.Z. prison) an informer [play on dog n.² (6b)].

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 148/1: puppy n. 3 an informer.

12. (US) a non-specified thing.

2016

N.G. Van Cleve Crook County 103: ‘I live my life . . . intellectually . . . and emotionally like in a roll top desk. [...] This goes in there, this goes in there. And when it’s time to go home, I pull that puppy down’.