pelf

plural pelfs

1. datedderogatoryuncountableMoney, riches; gain, especially when dishonestly acquired; lucre, mammon.

   When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf, and the world makes you King for a day, / Then go to the mirror and look at yourself, and see what that guy has to say.

   1934, Dale Wimbrow, The Guy in the Glass

   5 more examples

   Raph. Sirra Hammon Hammon, dost thou thinke a shooe-maker is so base, to be a bawd to his own wife for cõmodity! take thy gold, choake with it: were I not lame, I would make thee eate thy words. Firke. A shoomaker sell his flesh and blood, oh indignitie! Hodg. Sirra, take up your pelfe, and be packing.

   1599 (first performance; published 1600), Thomas Dekker, “The Shomakers Holiday. Or The Gentle Craft. […]”, in The Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker […], volume I, London: John Pearson […], published 1873, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii, page 66

   For what greater folly can there be, or madneſſe, then to […] keepe backe from his wife and children, neither letting them, nor other friends uſe or enjoy that which is theirs by right, and which they much need perhaps; like a hog, or dog in the manger, he doth onely keep it, becauſe it ſhall doe no body elſe good, hurting himſelfe and others; and for a little momentary pelfe, damne his owne ſoule.

   1638, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Φιλαργυρία [Philarguría] Covetousnesse a Cause”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy. […], 5th edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Robert Young, Miles Flesher, and Leonard Lichfield and William Turner] for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 12, page 115

   During his Office, Treaſon vvas no Crime. / The Sons of Belial had a Glorious Time: / For Shimei, though not prodigal of pelf, / Yet lov'd his vvicked Neighbour as himſelf.

   1681, [John Dryden], Absalom and Achitophel. A Poem, London: […] J[acob] T[onson] and are to be sold by W. Davis […], →OCLC, page 19

   The inscriptions on the walls are homilies from the Koran—actual 'sermons in stones'. The inlaid characters in diamond, and other precious stones, have been all abstracted away by the pelf-loving Jaut and Mahratta—leaving the walls defaced with the hollow marks of the chisel.

   1869, Bholanauth Chunder, chapter VIII, in The Travels of a Hindoo to Various Parts of Bengal and Upper India. […], volume I, London: N[icholas] Trübner & Co., […], →OCLC, page 411

   But, sighing after his fancies and visionary pursuits, he rebelled and fled fifty miles away for refuge from the lace caps and powdered wigs of his priggish sitters, and resumed his quaint dreams and immeasurable phantasies, never more to forsake them for pelf and portraiture.

   1906, Frederick Tatham, “Life of Blake”, in Archibald G[eorge] B[lomefield] Russell, editor, The Letters of William Blake […], London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, pages 28–29

   Synonyms: accession, acquirement, acquisition, acquist, attainment, gain, gaining, increase

2. dateduncountableRubbish, trash; specifically (UK, dialectal) refuse from plants.

   Now for women, in ſtead of laborious ſtudies, they have curious, needleworkes, Cut-workes, ſpinning, bone-lace, and many prettie deviſes of their owne making, to adorne their houſes, […] Which to her gueſts ſhe ſhews, with all her pelfe, / Thus far my maides, but this I did my ſelf.

   1638, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Exercise Rectified of Body and Minde”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy. […], 5th edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Robert Young, Miles Flesher, and Leonard Lichfield and William Turner] for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 2, member 4, page 282

   Synonyms: cultch, crap, debris, dreck, drek, garbage, gash, junk

3. uncountableSouthwest EnglandDust; fluff.
4. YorkshirecountablederogatoryA contemptible or useless person.

   Synonyms: absolute zero, assbucket, asswipe, badling, blatherskite, bugger, carrion, cipher · Antonyms: baron, big cheese, big enchilada, big gun, big kahuna, big man, big name, big noise