- There are many ways of inviting a person to seat himself. The genial ‘take a pew’ of one's equal inspires confidence. The raucous ‘sit down in front’ of the frenzied pit, when you stand up to get a better view of the stage, is not so pleasant.1903, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 16, in A Prefect's Uncle:
- "Oh!" he said, looking round him with his chin a little in the air, "am I intruding, Turl?" . . . "Not at all, Berryman—take a pew!"1904, John Galsworthy, chapter 18, in The Island Pharisees:
2 more examples
- "Come in," he said cheerily. "I'm delighted to see you. Take a pew."1919, William Somerset Maugham, chapter 11, in Moon and Sixpence:
- "Come in. Come in. Take a pew. Cigarette?"1965, Ian Fleming, chapter 1, in The Man with the Golden Gun: