perp
n.— «I…drew up near a large man in a red shirt, who was holding an ugly looking, short ear bull pup by the collar.…Blood was on the ground, and both dogs were bleeding when I came up. “I’ll bet yer ten ounces ter two thet this perp is the boss,” said the young fellow.» —“Only An Adventure” by F.O. Van Galder Southern Immigrant (Cullman, Ala.) Oct. 3, 1878. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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