pigsney, -ny arch. and dial.
Forms: α. 4 piggesneyȝe, 4–6 piggesnye, 6 pyggysny, pygges nye, pigges-ny, pygs(-)nie, pygsnye, pigesnie, 6–8 pigs(-)nye, 7 pigsneye, pignie, 8 pig-nye, 6– pigsny, pigs(-)nie, pigs(-)ney; β. 6 pigseie, 9 (dial.) pigsy.
[ME. f. pigges pig's + neyȝe, var. of eyȝe, eye with prosthetic n, app. derived from an eye, min eye; prob. originating in children's talk and the fond prattle of nurses.
The eye of the pig (as that of a bird in bird's-nie) is taken as a familiar type of a small eye; the expression is thus equivalent to pinke or pinkie nye, pinkeny, ‘tiny eye’, which was used in the same way as a term of endearment; but early examples showing pigges nye applied to the eye itself (sense 2) have not yet been found.]
1. One specially cherished; a darling, pet; commonly used as an endearing form of address. a. Chiefly applied to a girl or woman; in mod. dial. often opprobrious.
| α c 1386 Chaucer Miller's T. 82 She was a prymerole a piggesnye ffor any lord to leggen in his bedde. a 1529 Skelton Womanhod, etc. 20 What prate ye, praty pyggysny? 1549 Chaloner Erasm. on Folly F ij, Another fall in love with some yonge pygsnie. a 1553 Udall Royster D. i. iv. (Arb.) 27 Then ist mine owne pygs nie, and blessing on my hart. 1589 Triumphs Love & Fort. F ij b, Then will I make my loving song upon mine owne pigsnye. 1629 Massinger Picture ii. i, If thou art, As I believe, the pigsney of his heart, Know he's in health. 1667 Dryden Tempest iv. iii, How does my Pigs-nye? 1698 Farquhar Love & Bottle i. i, And the little pigsny has mamma's mouth. 1784 R. Bage Barham Downs I. 11 Never think I shall long survive thee, pigsnye. 1834 Southey Doctor liv. (1848) 121/2 When pigsnie arrives and the purchaser opens the close sedan chair in which she has been conveyed to his house. 1876 O. Madox-Brown Dwale Bluth i. v. 102 She began to pour forth..insinuations relative to a certain ‘Trapseing, hautecking, kerping, pigsnie’. |
| β 1553 Bale tr. Gardiner's De vera Obed. K j b, How doth my sweteheart, what saith now pigges eye? 1869 J. P. Morris Gloss. Words Furness 71 Pigsy, a term of endearment, as ‘Thow lile pigsy’. |
† b. More rarely applied to a man or boy.
Obs.| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 68 b, And your sweet piggesnye Emanuel will smoyle close in his sleave. a 1588 Tarlton Jests (1844) Introd. 21 The player fooles deare darling pigsnie He calles himselfe his brother. 1708 Brit. Apollo No. 68. 2/2 You, ven once they have your Money, No more their Pigsnies are nor Honey. |
† 2. An eye; a ‘dear little eye’.
Obs.| 1663 Butler Hud. ii. i. 560 And shine upon me but benignly, With that one, and that other Pigsneye. 1709 Brit. Apollo II. No. 11. 3/1, I rise, And rub my Pigs Nyes. a 1774 Goldsm. tr. Scarron's Com. Romance (1775) II. 10 The hostess received such a blow on her little pig-nyes, that she saw a hundred thousand lights at the same time. |