Meaning of pique-devant | Babel Free

Definitions

A small beard trimmed to a sharp point.

historical, obsolete

Examples

“Neither will I meddle with our varietie of beards, of which some are shauen from the chin like⟳ those of Turks, not a few cut⟳ short like⟳ to the beard of marques Otto, some made round like⟳ a rubbing brush, other with a pique de vant (O fine fashion!) or now and then suffered to grow⟳ long, the barbers being growen to be so cunning in this behalfe as the tailors.”

“twice double⟳ his Patrimonie hath he spent in carefull cherishing & preseruing his pickerdeuant”

“Wag[ner]. Sirra boy, come⟳ hither. Clo[wn]. How, boy? swowns boy, I hope⟳ you haue séene many boyes with such pickadevaunts as I haue.”

“I have⟳ seene the Cavalier you have⟳ so often spoken of, and I thinke you judge⟳ verie rightlie of him. Hee consists wholly of a Pickedevant [in the French original: la pointe de sa barbe], and two Mustachoes: and therefore utterly to defeate him, there needes but three clippes of a paire of Cizers.”

“In the Sinister Chief is set⟳ another sort⟳ of a full Face⟳ with a sharp pointed Beard, and is termed in Blazon, a Mans face⟳ with a Pick-a-devant, (or sharp pointed) Beard.”

CEFR level