† pilpate Obs. rare.
Also pyl-.
Short for pilled pate tonsured head, i.e. priest (with allusion to prelate): see pilled 2.
| 1530 Tindale Pract. Prelates I vij, If it had bene as greatlye vnto the profyte of the pope and his pilpates, I wold saye prelates, as it were to the honoure of god. 1560 Becon New Catech. Wks. (1564) 496 These smeared Pylpates, I would saye, Prelates, first of all accused hym. |