phr. (old).—See quot. 1672.

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  d. 1529.  SKELTON, Speake Parrot, 7. Then PARROT must haue AN ALMON or a date.

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  1581.  B. RICH, Farewell to Militarie Profession. Haue you founde your tongue now pretiepeate, then wee must haue AN ALMON FOR PARRAT: how durst thou Strompette chalenge me to bee thy Father?

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  1590.  NASHE, AN ALMOND FOR A PARRAT [Title].

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  1607.  DEKKER, Westward Ho! v. 3. Mab. We … lie laughing … to remember how we sent you a bat-fowling. Wafer. AN ALMOND, PARROT; that’s my Mab’s voice.

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  1672.  RAY [HAZLITT], ALMOND FOR A PARROT … Some trifle to amuse a silly person.

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