Cache-Control: public, max-age=1024000 Cant terms for Women
18th Century Thieves Cant
Women
Women : Insult/Negative Description
APE LEADERAn old maid; their punishment after death, for neglecting increase and multiply, will be, it is said, leading apes in hell.1811
BRIMor Brimstone; a very impudent, lewd Woman.1737
BRIM(Abbreviation of Brimstone.) An abandoned woman; perhaps originally only a passionate or irascible woman, compared to brimstone for its inflammability.1811
CLEAVEas, One that will cleave; used of a Wanton Woman. Vide Clown1737
CLOVENCleave, or Cleft; used of a young Woman who passes for a Maid, and is not one.1737
CLOVEN, CLEAVE, or CLEFTA term used for a woman who passes for a maid, but is not one.1811
COMING-WOMENsuch as are free of their Flesh; also breeding Women.1737
FLORENCEa Wench that is touzd and ruffled1737
FUSSOCKA lazy fat woman. An old fussock; a frowsy old woman.1811
FUSSOCKSas A meer Fussocks, a lazy fat wench. A fat Fussocks, a fat fulsom, strapping Woman.1737
FUSTILUGGSa fulsom, beastly, nasty Woman.1737
FUSTY LUGGSA beastly, sluttish woman.1811
GILL-FLURTa proud Minks; also a Slut or light Housewife.1737
HARRIDANone that is half a Whore, half a Bawd, also a notorious Shrew, or noisy old Woman.1737
HARRIDANA hagged old woman; a miserable, scraggy, worn-out harlot, fit to take her bawds degree: derived from the French word HARIDELLE, a worn-out jade of a horse or mare.1811
HIGH-FLYERSimpudent, forward, loose, light Women, also bold Adventurers.1737
HIGHTE-TITYa Romp or rude Girl.1737
JILTa tricking Woman.1737
JILTA tricking woman, who encourages the addresses of a man whom she means to deceive and abandon.1811
LADY-BIRDSlight, or lewd Women.1737
LADYBIRDSLight or lewd women.1811
MAWKESA vulgar slattern.1811
MOPSEYA dowdy, or homely woman.1811
MOPSIEa Dowdy, or homely Woman.1737
MUNSTER HEIFERAn Irish woman. A woman with thick legs is said to be like a Munster heifer; i.e. beef to the heels.1811
QUEER MORTA diseased strumpet. CANT.1811
QUEERE-DOXYa jilting Jade, a sorry shabby Wench.1737
QUEERE-MORTa dirty Drab, a jilting Wench, a pocky Jade.1737
ROMPA forward wanton girl, a tomrig. Grey, in his notes to Shakespeare, derives it from arompo, an animal found in South Guinea, that is a man eater. See HOYDEN.1811
SCABa sorry Wench, or scoundrel Fellow.1737
SCABA worthless man or woman.1811
SLAMKINA female sloven, one whose clothes seem hung on with a pitch-fork, a careless trapes.1811
STALE MAIDat her last Prayers.1737
TRIGRY-MATEan idle She-companion.1737
TRIGRYMATEAn idle female companion.1811
TROTas, An old Trot, a sorry, base, old Woman. A Dog Trot; A pretty Pace.1737
TRUGa dirty Puzzle, an ordinary sorry Woman.1737
VIXENA termagant; also a she fox, who, when she has cubs, is remarkably fierce.1811
Women : Physical Descriptions
BUNDLE-TAILa short, fat, or squat Lass.1737
HATCHET FACEDhard favoured, homely.1737
LADYa very crooked, deformed and ill-shapen Woman.1737
LADYA crooked or hump-backed woman.1811
LONG MEGA jeering name for a very tall woman: from one famous in story, called Long Meg of Westminster.1811
LONG-MEGa very tall Woman.1737
PLATTER-FACES JADEa very broad ordinary faced Woman.1737
SOWA fat woman. He has got the wrong sow by the ear, he mistakes his man. Drunk as Davids sow; see DAVIDS SOW.1811
VAN-NECKMiss or Mrs. Van-Neck; a woman with large breasts; a bushel bubby.1811
Women : Praise/Positive Description
BLEACHas The Mort lay last Night a Bleaching; the Wench looks very fair to Day.1737
DIMBER-MORTa pretty Wench1737
EWEor, The white Ewe; a Top-woman very beautiful.1737
EWEA white ewe; a beautiful woman. An old ewe, drest lamb fashion; an old woman, drest like a young girl.1811
FAIR-ROE-BUCKa Woman in the Bloom of her Beauty.1737
FRIGATEA well-rigged frigate; a well-dressed wench.1811
FRIGOT WELL RIGGEDa Woman well drest and genteel.1737
GENTRY MORTA gentlewoman.1811
GENTRY-MORTa Gentlewoman.1737
GIMCRACKa spruce Wench.1737
PUREST-PUREa Top-Mistress or fine Woman.1737
RUM BLOWENA handsome wench. CANT.1811
RUM DELLSee RUM DOXY.1811
RUM MORTA queen, or great lady. CANT.1811
RUM-DELLthe same as, Rum-Doxy.1737
RUM-DOXYa beautiful Woman, or light Lady.1737
RUM-DUTCHESSa jolly handsome Woman.1737
RUM-MORTa Queen, or great Lady.1737
Women : Related Terms
ANKLEA girl who is got with child, is said to have sprained her ankle.1811
CAMBRIDGE-FORTUNEa Woman without any Substance.1737
CLUCKa Wenchs Propension to Male-Conversation, by her romping and playfulness; when they say, The Mort Clucks.1737
DELLSyoung bucksome Wenches, rip and prone to Venery, but who have not lost their Virginity, which the Upright Man pretends to, and seizes: Then she is free for any of the Fraternity. Also a common Strumpet.1737
DELLSYoung buxom wenches, ripe and prone to venery, but who have not lost their virginity, which the UPRIGHT MAN claims by virtue of his prerogative; after which they become free for any of the fraternity. Also a common strumpet. CANT.1811
FROEfor Vrowe, (Dutch) a Wife, Mistress, or Whore, Brush to your Froe (or Blos) and wheedle for Crap, whip to your Mistress, and speak her fair to give, or lend you some Money.1737
FROE, or VROE, A woman, wife, or mistressBrush to your froe, or bloss, and wheedle for crop; run to your mistress, and sooth and coax her out of some money. DUTCH.1811
MISTRESS PRINCUM-PRANCIUMsuch a stiff, overnice precise Madam.1737
MORTA woman or wench; also a yeomans daughter. To be taken all-a mort; to be confounded, surprised, or motionless through fear.1811
MORTSYeomans Daughters; also a Wife, Woman, or Wench.1737
MOTA girl, or wench. See MORT.1811
STAMMELor Strammel; a brawny, lusty, strapping Wench.1737
STAMMEL, or STRAMMELA coarse brawny wench.1811
STRAMMELSee STAMMEL.1811
STRAPPING-LASSa swinging two-handed Woman.1737
TART DAMESsharp, quick, pert.1737
TOM-BOYa Tom Rig, or Romp.1737
TOMBOYA romping girl, who prefers the amusement used by boys to those of her own sex.1811
VIRAGOa masculine Woman, or a great two-handed Female.1737
Women : Wives and Widows
ACE OF SPADESA widow.1811
COMFORTABLE IMPORTANCEA wife.1811
COMFORTABLE-IMPORTANCEa Wife.1737
CONVENIENCYa Wife; also a Mistress.1737
CONVENIENTA mistress. CANT.1811
CURTAIN LECTUREA woman who scolds her husband when in bed, is said to read him a curtain lecture.1811
CURTAIN-LECTUREWomens impertinent scolding at their Husbands behind the Curtain.1737
HEMPEN WIDOWOne whose husband was hanged.1811
HEMPEN-WIDOWone whose Husband was hanged.1737
POISONEDbig with Child.1737
POISONEDBig with child: that wench is poisoned, see how her belly is swelled. Poison-pated: red-haired.1811
WHITHER-DYE-GOan insolent prescribing, very, Wife.1737
WHITHER-GO-YEA wife: wives being sometimes apt to question their husbands whither they are going.1811
XANTIPPEa Scold; the Name of Socratess scolding Wife; who never cold move his Patience, tho by premeditated and repeated Injuries. Whence it is used for any Shrew, or scolding, brawling Woman.1737
XANTIPPEThe name of Socratess wife: now used to signify a shrew or scolding wife.1811
Women : Women in General
COOLERa Woman.1737
COOLERA woman.1811
FLAT COCKA female.1811
GUN-POWDERan old Woman.1737
JUDYa blowen ; but sometimes used when speaking familiarly of any woman.1819
LACD MUTTONa Woman1737
MOLLISHERa woman.1819
PIECEA wench. A damned good or bad piece; a girl who is more or less active and skilful in the amorous congress. Hence the (CAMBRIDGE) toast, May we never have a PIECE (peace) that will injure the constitution. Piece likewise means at Cambridge a close or spot of ground adjacent to any of the colleges, as Clare-hall Piece, &c. The spot of ground before Kings College formerly belonged to Clare-hall. While Clare Piece belonged to Kings, the master of Clare-hall proposed a swop, which being refused by the 1811
SU-POUCHan Hostess or Landlady.1737
TIBa young Lass.1737
TIBA young lass1811
TITTERa young woman or girl. 1819