subs. (colloquial).—1.  An angry mood; a tantrum; a fling of temper.—B. E. (c. 1696); BAILEY (1748); GROSE (1785). Hence, TO BE PETTED = to take offence.

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  1548.  BARCLAY, Eclogue, iv.

        Of rascolde poetes yet is a shamfull rable …
Though all their cunning be scantly worth a PET.

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  1634.  MILTON, Comus [Aldine], 721. Should in a PET of temperance feed.

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  1685.  SIR P. HUME, Narrative of Occurrences in the Expedition of the Earl of Argyle, 42. As wee wer to goe, several gentlemen inclined to have gone with us; but the Erle PETTING at it, forbare and stayed there.

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  1749.  SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 109. They may take themselves off in a PET sometimes, the itch of writing brings them back again.

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  1766.  H. BROOKE, The Fool of Quality, I. 193. I would have sent to enquire after them, but I was PETTED at their neglect of us during our long illness.

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  2.  (old: now recognised).—A darling: also in sarcasm. [In quot. 1607 = a delicate young thing.] Also PEAT. Whence, as verb. = to fondle.

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  d. 1520.  DUNBAR [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 361–3. Dunbar wrote … in Northern English…. There are the Celtic words tartan … PET (darling) … tedder (tether), brat].

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  1562–77.  GASCOIGNE, Flowers [CHALMERS, English Poets, ii. 485].

        I grooped in thy pocket pretty PEATE,
And found a Lemman which I looked not.

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  1578.  King Leir [NARES]. To see that proud pert PEAT, our youngest sister.

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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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  1593.  SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, i. 1.

          Kath.  A pretty PEAT! ’tis best
Put finger in the eye.

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  1605.  JONSON, CHAPMAN, &c., Eastward Hoe, v. 1 [Old Plays (REED), iv. 279]. God’s my life, you are a PEAT indeed!

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  1607.  DEKKER and WEBSTER, Westward Ho! ii. 2. Mon. … She’s not troubled with the green sickness still, is she? Bird. The yellow jaundice … troth she’s as good a PEAT.

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  1629.  Z. BOYD, The Last Battell of the Soul in Death, 324. Grosse euill thoughts, fedde and PETTED with yielding and consent.

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  d. 1631.  DONNE, Poems, 90, ‘Elegy XVI.’

                    The wench a pretty PEAT,
And (by her eye) well fitting for the seat.

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  1632.  MASSINGER, The Maid of Honour, ii. 2. You are a pretty PEAT, indifferent fair too.

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  1749.  SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE (1866), 168]. I was her PET, and came in for the caresses of all the men that frequented the house.

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