potwalloper
(pɒtˈwɒləpə(r))
Forms: α. 8 pot-walloner, -iner. β. 8– pot(-)walloper, 9 -wallopper, -wolloper.
[One of the popular alterations of potwaller (after wallop v. to boil with agitation), which has in general use largely supplanted the original word.
It is found first in De Foe's Tour, ed. 1769, as an alteration of pot-walloner, the form in the earlier edd. 1725–53; whether as a misprint, or as an intended correction of an erroneous form, does not appear. Thence, prob., in Grose Dict. Vulgar Tongue, 1785. From these works app. this form became generally known, while other forms in local use disappeared.]
1. = potwaller.
| α 1725 De Foe Tour Gt. Brit. II. ii. 21 This Town [Taunton] chooses Two Members of Parliament, and their way of choosing is by those whom they call Pot-Walloners [so edd. 1742, 1753; ed. 1769 Pot-Wallopers], that is to say, Every Inhabitant, whether Housekeeper or Lodger, that dresses their own Victuals. ? a 1749 Upton MS. Addit. to Junius (Halliw.), Tanodunii in agro Somersetensi vocantur Pot⁓walliners. 1778 Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Taunton, The election of members of parliament here is very singular; every pot-walloner, i.e. that dresses his own victuals, is intitled to vote. 1791 W. Collinson Hist. Somerset III. 226 Taunton..has returned members to parliament from the years 1294, 23 Edw. I. The right of choosing these members is vested in the parishioners boiling their own pot (hence called Pot-Walloners) residing within the limits of the borough, not being stated paupers. |
| β 1769 [see quot. 1725 in α]. 1785 Grose Dict. Vulg. T., Pot-wallopers, persons entitled to vote in certain boroughs, by having boiled a pot there. 1791 Luckombe Beauties Eng. I. 58 Every pot-walloper, that is, he who dresses his own victuals, is entitled to vote for members of parliament. 1831 Blackw. Mag. XXX. 33 The pot-wallopers of Westminster, Southwark, and Preston, are to vote alongside of the {pstlg}10 householders of the Tower Hamlets, Manchester, and Birmingham. 1850 Carlyle Latter-d. Pamph. vi. (1872) 206 What safety will there be in..ten thousand brawling potwallopers? 1884 Manch. Exam. 3 Dec. 4/7 We shall become a nation of potwallopers, with the addition that every lodger is supposed to wallop his own kettle as well as householders. |
b. applied as a term of reproach.
| 1820 Sporting Mag. VII. 80 Do you take me for..a pot⁓walloper—an ass—a fool? 1905 Westm. Gaz. 6 Feb. 1/3 The term potwalloper was indignantly resented as a most improper and scandalous one, which should be withdrawn. |
2. (See
quots.)
| 1860 Bartlett Dict. Amer., Pot-Walloper, a scullion. 1890 Cent. Dict., Pot-walloper... (b) A cook aboard ship; a pot-wrestler. (Slang.) (c) A scullion. Bartlett. 1902 Farmer Slang, Pot-walloper..2. (common). A scullion; a kitchen-maid; and (nautical) a cook, esp. on board a whaler: also pot-wrestler. |
¶ 3. Erroneously applied to something very big or clumsy. (
Cf. pot-walloping a. 2.)
| 1896 Daily News 14 Dec. 6/1 Others were father's boots—you know the sort of thing—regular potwallopers—tens—in which the tiny foot is almost lost. |