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Noun edit

pianny forty (plural pianny forties)

  1. (archaic) Pronunciation spelling of pianoforte.
    • 1795, Hannah Cowley, The Town Before You: A Comedy[1], 2nd edition, volume 2, London: G. Woodman, for T. N. Longman, act I, scene ii, page 6:
      Dang et, I have delivered ſeventeen - all the way from Mancheſter-ſquare to Petty France; from there to Biſhopſgate-ſtreet after ſweetmeats for Miſs, and then to the Hay-market about the pianny forty.
    • 1890, Clara Augusta Jones, “XXI: Old-Feller and Desdy-Money”, in Patience Pettigrew's Perplexities[2], New York: J. S. Ogilvie, page 136:
      And jest then I leaped from my seat and clim rite over the pianny-forty onto the stage, and grabbed that piller from his hand.
    • 2018 July 19, Charles Palliser, The Quincunx: The Mompessons[3], Canelo, →ISBN, page 48:
      He closed his mouth as in resignation, 'Well, can you sing and play the pianny-forty?' 'Yes, fairly well.' 'Famblies don't want fairly well, they want bang-up.' .

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