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Dictionary of Phrase and Fable—P

Pit-a-pat

My heart goes pit-a-pat. Throbs, palpitates. “Pat” is a gentle blow (Welsh, ffat), and “pit” is a mere ricochet expletive. We have a vast number of such ricochot words, as “fiddle-faddle,” “harum-scarum,” “ding-dong,” etc.

Anything like the sound of a rat
Makes my heart go pit-a-pat.

Browning: Pied Piver of Hamelin.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894

Pistris, Pistrix, Pristis

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