pearmongern.
/ˈpɛːˌmʌŋɡə/, U.S. /ˈpɛrˌmɑŋɡər/, /ˈpɛrˌməŋɡər/ Now historical and English regional.
A seller of pears. Chiefly in proverbial phrase as pert as a pearmonger and variants.
ΚΠ
1565 T. Harding Confut. Apol. Church of Eng. v. v. f. 247 Here pricketh forth this hasty Defender, as peart as a peare~monger.
1678 J. Ray Coll. Eng. Prov. (ed. 2) 281 As pert as a Pearmongers mare.
1738 J. Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 69 You are as pert as a Pearmonger this Morning.
?1754 Mock Monarchs I. 3 To be enabled to denounce what Degree of Purity each Individual in the Kingdom contains in his Veins, from the Prince to the Pearmonger.
1835 R. Southey Let. in Corr. R. Southey with C. Bowles (1881) 319 Mrs. Barbauld was cold as her creed: her niece..pert as a pear-monger.
1934 Econ. Hist. Rev. 5 62 7 fishmongers, 1 grocer, 1 cheesemonger, 1 pearmonger.
1995 J. M. Sims-Kimbrey Wodds & Doggerybaw: Lincs. Dial. Dict. 223/2 E'd be as pert as a pearmonger, e' wud. Cheered me up no-end, e' useter.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1565