P
World War I home Original Home Annotated P
PAINT.
Jam
PARAKEET.
Staff
Officer (See "Rosella.") So called from the red gorget tabs and
the red band around the hat of a Staff Officer.
PARAPET JOE.
A German
machine gunner who attempts by continuous fire to prevent our men from looking
over the parapet.
PARLEY.
Speak.
(From the French)
PARTY.
Go away.
(From the French)
P.B.I.
Poor Bloody Infantry.
PEA-SHOOTERS.
A German
anti-tank gun.
PEBBLE CRUSHING.
Route
marching.
PECK.
Give in;
yield.
PERKED.
Drunk.
PENGUIN.
A member
of the Womens Royal Air Force. Nickname, because they cannot fly.
Percy
PEUT-ETRE.
Perhaps.
Peut-etre - deferred pay.
PHOSGENE.
An anti-gas
instructional officer; empty talk; profanity.
PHYSICAL JERKS.
A parade
for physical training.
PIG ARSE.
A contemptuous
ejaculation.
PIGS EAR.
Beer.
PIG STABBER.
A Bayonet.
PILL BATTERY.
Field
Ambulance.
PILL BOX.
A concrete
blockhouse built to resist shell-fire.
PINCH.
Steal.
PIN OUT
Rapidly;
in a hurry. (See "with the pin out.")
PINE-APPLE.
A light
German trench mortar shell, grooved into sections to ensure a fragmental burst.
PIN-HEAD.
An unintelligent
person.
Pink's
PIPE.
Stars
worn by Captains and Lieutenants as their badge, a name for a passing ailment,
usually mental despondency.
PIP-SQUEAK.
A small
shell. A high explosive high velocity shell fired from a field gun.
PLONK.
The explosion
of a heavy shell.
PLUG.
To hit
or punch.
POINT BLANK.
The white
wine commonly used in France. The term is used on the Rifle Range as the name
of a poisonous white paste that is applied to the foresight of the rifle to
aid sighting. Its adaption as a name for "Vin Blanc" was brought
about partly by the similarity in the spelling of the second word and also
partly because of the harsh effect it frequently had on Australians who drank
of it to freely.
PLUM PUDDING.
A spherical
iron shell filled with explosive and projected by means of a trench mortar
towards the enemy trench.
PO JUGGLER.
A batman;
an officers' servant.
POLL.
To take
advantage of anothers [sic] good nature.
POMMY.
An Englishman.
Pompey
POLING.
To do
less than one's share thereby rendering the other fellows more difficult.
This term was also borrowed from Australian Bullock driving parlance. The
"Polers," the pair of bullocks nearest to the pole of the wagon,
are generally regarded as being not only the strongest, but next to the leaders
the outest pair in the team, and therefore more inclined to take things easy
and let the other bullocks do the pulling, if the driver is not observant.
PONG.
An evil adour [sic].
PONTOON.
A game
of chance with cards.
PONGO.
An Infantryman.
Although commonly used in some units this term could hardly be regarded as
universal.
P.O.Q.
Piss off
quickly, go immediately.
PORK & CHEESE or Pork & Beans.
Portuguese
Soldiers.
PORT HOLES IN YOUR COFFIN - want.
To be
hard to please.
POSH.
The best,
neat, superlative; Flying Corp slang.
POSSY.
Abbreviation
of "Position;" Place; Dug-out; home.
POT (to)
To shoot.
POT (a)
An important
person.
POT-HOLE.
A short
trench, capable of holding one or two.
POUTER.
A Mans
chest.
PRATE.
See "Bot."
PRIVE.
A Private
Soldier.
PROPAGANDA.
Tall talk.
PROVERBIAL.
See "Abdominal,"
"Gutzer."
PRAD.
A horse.
PUKKA.
Genuine.
PULL.
"To
have a pull" - to have influence.
PULL ON.
"To
undertake.
PULL OUT.
Withdraw,
stop.
PUMP HANDLE.
Arm.
PUP.
An aeroplane
(Sopwith design)
PUP BATTALION.
A Btn.
of the 4th or 5th Division formed from half of one of the original 16th Battalion.
PUSH IN.
Intrude;
eg. Push ones frame in.
PUSH.
A general
attack; an offensive.
PUSHING UP DAISIES.
To be
dead and buried.
PUSS-IN-BOOTS.
A bumptious
officers.
PUT HIS POT ON.
Report
him, inform against him.
PUT IT OVER.
Beat;
defeat, deceive; see also "Put the fangs in."
PUT THE ACID ON.
Ask, test;
put a stop to; to spoil.
PUT THE FANGS IN.
To request
a favour or loan.
PUT THE MUZZLE ON.
Stop talking.
PUT UP A STALL.
Tell a
fictitious story with a view to obtaining a priviledge [sic].
PUTTY - up to
No good.
PUT UP A STUNT.
See "Stunt,"
effect something.
PUT UP (to be)
To be
indicted for a military crime.
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