strumpet

strumpet
   To Shakespeare, who uses this word vocatively in, e.g. Hamlet, The Winter’s Tale, Othello, ‘strumpet’ meant a prostitute. It is doubtful if a modern woman would understand it in that sense. She would think it a very old-fashioned word, one which was expressing disapproval, but might not interpret it specifically as prostitute. ‘You audacious strumpet’ is used to Jenny Jones in Fielding’s Tom Jones. Love in Quiet Places, by Bernard Thompson, has one girl calling another ‘you cheap strumpet’. This novel was published in 1961, but the word is very rare in twentieth-century literature.

A dictionary of epithets and terms of address . . 2015.

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  • Strumpet — Strum pet, a. Of or pertaining to a strumpet; characteristic of a strumpet. [1913 Webster] Out on thy more than strumpet impudence. B. Jonson. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Strumpet — Strum pet, v. t. 1. To debauch. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To dishonor with the reputation of being a strumpet; hence, to belie; to slander. [1913 Webster] With his untrue reports, strumpet your fame. Massinger. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Strumpet — Strum pet, n. [OE. strumpet, strompet; cf. OF. stupe debauchery, F. stupe, L. stuprare, stupratum, to debauch, stuprum debauchery, Gael. & Ir. striopach a prostitute.] A prostitute; a harlot. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • strumpet — (n.) early 14c., of uncertain origin. One theory connects it with L. stuprata, fem. pp. of stuprare have illicit sexual relations with, or L.L. strupum dishonor, violation. Others suggest M.Du. strompe a stocking, or strompen to stride, to stalk… …   Etymology dictionary

  • strumpet — [n] prostitute call girl*, harlot, hooker, hussy, lady of the evening*, slut, streetwalker, whore, woman of the street*; concept 412 …   New thesaurus

  • strumpet — ► NOUN archaic or humorous ▪ a female prostitute or a promiscuous woman. ORIGIN of unknown origin …   English terms dictionary

  • strumpet — [strum′pit] n. [ME < ?] a prostitute; harlot …   English World dictionary

  • strumpet — noun a) A female prostitute; a woman who is very sexually active. Usage note often used as bit of strumpet, piece of strumpet. b) A female adulterer. Usage note derogatory …   Wiktionary

  • strumpet — UK [ˈstrʌmpɪt] / US noun [countable] Word forms strumpet : singular strumpet plural strumpets old fashioned an insulting word for a woman who has a lot of sexual relationships or has sex with people who pay her money …   English dictionary

  • Strumpet City — (1969) is a historical novel by James Plunkett set in Dublin, Ireland, at the time of the Dublin Lockout. In 1980, it was made into a successful TV drama by Radio Telefís Éireann, Ireland s national broadcaster.The NovelThe novel is an epic,… …   Wikipedia

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