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piker

Dialect
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A piker is someone who is timid or cowardly, often avoiding risks or challenges.

Detailed Definition
The term 'piker' originates from American slang and is often used to describe someone who is reluctant to take risks or who gives up easily. In the poem, it is used to admonish someone for not persevering and for being cowardly in the face of adversity. The use of this term adds a colloquial tone and emphasizes the speaker's frustration with those who do not fight through their challenges.
Example
Example in poetry:
Piker is chiefly North American slang for a timid, stingy, or unadventurous person; “Don’t be a piker, old pard” gives the word a frontier or gambling voice; “Call me a piker, but I kept one coin / for the bus home” shows its stingy sense; In a modern spoken poem, “no piker with my dreams” can sound teasing, boastful, and colloquial
Additional Notes
The term 'piker' may not be familiar to all readers, particularly those unfamiliar with American slang, as indicated in the line 'So don't be a piker, old pard!'.; Found in the poem, The Quitter by Robert W. Service
Also Known As
miser cheapskate skinflint penny-pincher
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