phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

The Phrase Finder
Phrases, Sayings and Idioms Home > Discussion Forum

- We are also on

A Phrase A Week - Facebook Group & Follow aphraseaweek on Twitter

Re: "moaning like a pyard"?

Posted by Steve E on November 03, 2005

In Reply to: Re: "moaning like a pyard"? posted by Bruce Kahl on November 02, 2005

: :
: : I'm looking for the meaning/origin of a phrase that was used in my childhood by my mother (now 72 years old), who originally was from Kent, England. The phrase: "moaning like a pyard" (not sure of exact spelling). It was used by her to describe someone complaining continually about something, often unjustifiably. I'd be grateful for any help. I used it in a training session this morning, and was challenged agressively by a client, who accused me of using language whose meaning I did not know. It would be very satisfying to be able to tell him the origins of the phrase! Thanks, and I'll hope for a response.

: Looks like, but I am not sure, that the phrase is from a family name:

: What does the Pyatt name mean?

: English (Midlands): nickname from a diminutive of Old French pye 'magpie' (see Pye 1), or possibly sometimes a late form of pyard, a pejorative form of pye.

: English: from Middle English, Old French pie, pye 'magpie' (Latin pica), applied as a nickname for a talkative or thievish person. The modern English name of the bird, not found before the 17th century, is from the earlier dialect term maggot-pie, formed by the addition of Mag, Maggot, pet forms of the female personal name Margaret.
: Welsh: variant of Pugh.

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, it appears that your client's challenge may have been appropriate because you are coming to this site to find the answer. In any event, I did find some odd references to the word (in additon to that posted by Bruce K) that referred to '...the hair of a Pyard dog...' Have no idea what it meant and could not find such a breed of dog.