Victorian Glossary Part 6

and yet, more…

N-rays: A new form of radiation reported by Rene Blondlot in 1903, and later shown not to exist.
Natural Philosophy: Physics
Omnibus: A large horse-drawn vehicle carrying 20 or more passengers; the name, meaning “for everyone” in Latin, was quickly shortened to “bus”.
Parole: A soldiers promise not to engage in further hostilities or attempting to escape after being captured.
Pecker: Courage, as in “keep your pecker up” to someone facing danger (ed. I dread the comments on this one.)
Peerage: The actual aristocracy, as opposed to the gentry; barons, viscounts, earls, marquises, and dukes.
Plum Pudding: A Christmas pudding made from raisins.
Post-Captain: A naval officer in command of a ship who actually holds the rank of captain.
Phrenology: A proposed science of human character based on assigning functions to sections of the brain and measuring their relative size.
Psychical Research: The scientific study of psionic powers and the afterlife.