| 释义 |
Pam|pæm|
[Corresponds in sense to Sc. Pamphie, also Pawmie, ‘a vulgar name given at cards to the knave of clubs’ (Jamieson), and to F. pamphile name of the card game, and of the knave of clubs in it (Littré); of which Pamphie, Pawmie, Pam appear to be abbreviations. F. pamphile is, according to Littré, ad. Gr. personal name Πάµϕιλος ‘beloved of all’, in L. Pamphilus.]
1. The knave of clubs, esp. in the game of five-card loo, in which this card is the highest trump.
1685Crowne Sir Courtly Nice iii. 22 Thou art the only Court card women love to play with; the very Pam at Lantereloo, the knave that picks up all. 1707J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 338 The Apothecary is like Pam at Loo, he is everything that is wanting. 1712–14Pope Rape Lock iii. 61 Ev'n mighty Pam, that Kings and Queens o'erthrew, And mow'd down armies in the fights of Lu. a1845Hood Storm at Hastings iv, A living Pam, omnipotent at loo! 1849Chambers' Inform. II. 671/1.
fig.1706Estcourt Fair Example i. i, Let me tell ye, Madam, Scandal is the very Pam in Conversation.
2. Name of a card-game, akin to Nap, in which the knave of clubs was the highest trump card.
1691Weesils ii. 11 She wanted Counters too to play at Pam. 1713Addison Guard. No. 120 ⁋6 She..grows more fond of Pam than of her husband. 1898Longm. Mag. Nov. 58 A sumptuous ball at the Pantheon, silver loo with a princess, ‘Pam’ with a duchess.
Hence † pam-child, nonce-wd., ‘knave-child’, male child.
1760H. Walpole Lett., to G. Montagu 14 Jan. (1846) IV. 16, I have sat up twice this week..with the Duchess of Grafton, at loo, who..has got a pam-child this morning. |