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is waiting.
Used, impolitely, to indicate that the person addressed will have to accept a particular situation, even if it is unwelcome.
Examples of this expression crop up from the early 19th century and are presumed to derive from the belief that pipe-smoking is a good aid to thought.
For example:
In The Pickwick Papers (1836), Dickens uses the expression in an incomplete form, indicating that it's likely the phrase was sufficiently well known not to have to be spelled out in full:
'Come along, then,' said he of the green coat, lugging Mr. Pickwick after him by main force, and talking the whole way. Here, No. 924, take your fare, and take yourself off — respectable gentleman — know him well — none of your nonsense — this way, sir — where's your friends? — all a mistake, I see — never mind — accidents will happen — best regulated families — never say die — down upon your luck — Pull him UP — Put that in his pipe — like the flavour — damned rascals.' And with a lengthened string of similar broken sentences, delivered with extraordinary volubility, the stranger led the way to the traveller's waiting-room, whither he was closely followed by Mr. Pickwick and his disciples.
The Pickwick Papers (1836), Chapter 2
In 1837, the expression is used to great effect in The Lay of St. Odille from The Ingoldsby Legends. This is a collection of myths, legends, ghost stories and poetry purportedly written by Thomas Ingoldsby of Tappington Manor (a pseudonym of Richard Harris Barham.) The legends were first serialized in the magazine Bentley's Miscellany and later in New Monthly Magazine.
“Come, make yourselves scarce! – it is useless to stay,
You will gain nothing here by a longer delay;
‘Quick! Presto! Begone!’ as the conjurors say,
For, as to the Lady, I’ve stowed her away
In this hill, in a stratum of London blue clay;
And I shan’t, I assure you, restore her to-day
Till you faithfully promise no more to say ‘Nay,’
But declare, ‘If she will be a nun, why she may.’
For this you’ve my work, and I never yet broke it,
So put that in your pipe, my Lord Otto, and smoke it! -
One hint to your vassals; - a month at the ‘Mill’
Shall be nuts to what they’ll get who worry Odille!”
The Lay of St Odille, The Ingoldsby Legends (~1837)
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