pilked-down p***e

[Chicken Sandwich]

I’ll get you, you pilked-down p***e.

This is a quote from Fawlty Towers, S02E02. What does "pilked-down" mean? I have searched everyhwere, but I can't find the meaning of "pilked-down" or "pilk". I suspect that it's a play on words, but I can't figure it out.

Thank you in advance.

PS. I have censored one of the words in the quote becuase I don't know whether or not it's considered offensive.

[bhaisahab]

This is a quote from Fawlty Towers, S02E02. What does "pilked-down" mean? I have searched everyhwere, but I can't find the meaning of "pilked-down" or "pilk". I suspect that it's a play on words, but I can't figure it out.

Thank you in advance.

PS. I have censored one of the words in the quote becuase I don't know whether or not it's considered offensive.

More context is needed. I can't imagine what the word you have censored is. Can you post a link to it?

[Chicken Sandwich]

More context is needed. I can't imagine what the word you have censored is. Can you post a link to it?

There is a link in the quote. Longman says it's a "taboo" word so I thought that it wouldn't be good idea to post it without sensoring it.

[bhaisahab]

There is a link in the quote. Longman says it's a "taboo" word so I thought that it wouldn't be good idea to post it without sensoring it.

Could "piltdown" be what you are looking for? Piltdown Man - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Chicken Sandwich]

Could "piltdown" be what you are looking for? Piltdown Man - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thank you very much! That makes absolute sense. I should have known better than to rely on the English subtitles .

[JMurray]

Just to summarize.
Although the Piltdown hoax was revealed in 1953, the name "Piltdown" has remained associated with the idea of a "missing link" or "caveman".
The term "ponce" now usually means a man who is affected and perhaps effeminate in dress and/or manner and is intended to be derogatory. However it's not so strong that it needs to be disguised in a post.
So, "Piltdown ponce" is Basil Fawlty's way of saying that his target is ignorant and uncivilized, while also being effete and unmanly.

not a teacher

[emsr2d2]

Ah, thank you. Ponce! I was failing dismally to work out what p***e could be! I couldn't think of a word that fitted which would need asterisks. In my opinion, it doesn't need asterisks. It's not the kind of the thing you would call someone in polite company but I wouldn't class it as swearing.

I had worked out that it should have been "Piltdown" but someone else had already posted that.

[abaka]

When I see the *s, I always want to say: please spell out such words as "ponce" when discussing them. That the word "ponce" was suitable for television tells you something about its acceptability. But in any case the self-censorship cannot be helpful.

[Chicken Sandwich]

That the word "ponce" was suitable for television tells you something about its acceptability.

Fawlty Towers is, generally speaking, a family friendly show. They have, however, used the n-word in one episode. I don't think that it's acceptable to write n****r without the asterisks on UsingEnglish, even if it's in quotes.

I wasn't familiar with the word "ponce" so I didn't know whether it was considered offensive or not, so I thought, better be safe than sorry. But now I know that it's not classed as swearing. Thank you for that.

[emsr2d2]

Fawlty Towers is, generally speaking, a family friendly show. They have, however, used the n-word in one episode. I don't think that it's acceptable to write n****r without the asterisks on UsingEnglish.

I don't remember that episode! Mind you, when it was actually being shown for the first time in the UK, very few people had a problem with that word so I probably didn't bat an eyelid at it. It would, no doubt, be bleeped out (or dubbed over with a different word) if the episode were shown on TV these days.