Middle English Dictionary Entry
harlot n.
Entry Info
| Forms | harlot n. Also harlotte, harlat, harlet, harelot, herlot(e, hearlot, herloth. Pl. harlotes, etc. & harloz, herloz, hearloz, (Cornw. only) harlos. |
| Etymology | OF herlot, arlot. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A man of no fixed occupation, an idle rogue, a vagabond or beggar; (b) as term of abuse: scoundrel, knave, rogue, reprobate, base fellow, coward.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)168/26 : Eadmodnesse is ilich þeose cointe hearloz [vrr. herloz, harloz], hare gute feastre, hare flowinde cweise þet ha putteð eauer forð.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)182/16 : Scheome ich cleopie eauer her beon itald unwruð, & beggin as an hearlot [vr. harlot], ȝef neod is, hire liueneð.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)211/26 : Ne makie ȝe nane gestnunges, ne ne tulle ȝe to þe ȝete nane uncuðe hearloz.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.59 : Whanne Romulus hadde gadrede..flemed men..mysdoers..vnworþy persones, þanne men þat wonede aboute hem helde hem but harlottes.
- c1390 Chart.Abbey HG (Vrn)358 : Þenne wente boyes and harlotes and spitten on his face.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.317 : A foule herlote [F ribaud] him slowe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)34 : Hyȝ not to heven in haterez totorne, Ne in þe harlatez hod and handez unwaschen.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2404 : Þar sal none oþer lig hir by Bot naked herlotes and lowsy.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)191 : And that is she..That techith for to robbe and stele These theves and these smale harlotes.
- c1460 Alas my childe (Dub 432)100/44 : Þese harlattes fighten all at ones.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)18/314 : 'Horeson,' said Beves, 'yf I be one, Harlot [Auch: truant] was I nevure none.'
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3889 : How dost þow, harlot, þyn erand bede?
- (1382) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.474 : [John Filiol said..he would have asserted the said Mayor to be a false scoundrel, or] harelot.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.57 : Elfricus, maister of þe kynges schippes, flyȝ to þe enemyes, as a vile flemed harlot [L ut vilis transfuga].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.626 : If he repreue hym vncharitably of synne as 'thow holour', 'thow dronkelewe harlot', and so forth.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4268 : 'Ye, false harlot,' quod the millere, 'hast?'
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.274 : Þat þe holygoste hath to kepe, þo harlotes destroyeth.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1584 : What! he corsed his clerkes and clade hem chorles, To henge þe harlotes he heȝed ful ofte.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)131/135 : [Herod to three kings:] Fals harlottis, but ȝe hye you hame, Ȝe shall be bette and boune in bande.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Pass.Christi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)2247 : A harlot re'th fo drok lam.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Pass.Christi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)3073 : A harlos yn kettep guas hertheugh vynyons y ges glas.
- (c1465) Stonor1.68 : Robert Dobson..repreved and ungodely in the moost unhonest wise called diverse men knaves and harlettes and charles.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)355 : Harlot, hast þou noo tonge?
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)404 : Thei of the reame of logres be nother knaues ne harlottes [F garchons], but worthi men and goode knyghtes.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)536 : Go sle this harlot [Agravain], for he is fell and proude.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)155/465 : Go hens, harlottys, in xx dewill way!
2.
(a) A professional male entertainer; buffoon, jester, story-teller, actor, pantomimist; (b) a female entertainer, an actress, etc.; (c) a trifler, parasite.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)7.47 : Holde wiþ none harlotis [vr. harlatys] ne here nouȝt here talis.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.416 : And if he [the slothful] auȝte wole here, it is an harlotes tonge.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.434 : Shulde none harlote haue audience in halle ne in chambres, Þere wise men were.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)352 : Mynystrel or joȝelour, tumbler and harlot, wole not take of þe puple bifore þat þei han shewid þer craft.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)98/62 : Þe synnes of dede er..to gyf to herlotes [etc.].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)60b : A harlott: histrio, palpo, mimus, gesticulator.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)175 : An Harlott..ioculator..nugator.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)39.6 : The vile lustis of this warld, as hoppynge & daunnceynge of tumblers and herlotis, and other spectakils.
b
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)175 : An Harlott..mima, ioculatrix, pantomima..histrix.
c
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.647 : He [the summoner] was a gentil harlot and a kynde; A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)30b/a : Gerro: a triflare or an harlot.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)59a/a : Scurra: a rybaude, an harlot.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)227 : Harlotte: Scurrus.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.JHare (LdMisc 683)11 : This boy Maymond..A gentel harlot..Sone and cheeff eyr on-to dame Idylnesse.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)7 : Scurra: a harlotte.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)806/17 : Hec scurra: a harlat.
3.
(a) A man of licentious habits; a male lecher, libertine, rake; (b) a female prostitute, whore.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)792 : Hir oþer soster hore strong, Þat al harlotes ȝede among.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.885 : Thilke harlotes that haunten bordels of thise fool wommen.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)874 : Þenne þe rebaudez [of Sodom] so ronk rerd such a noyse, Þat aȝly hurled in his erez her harlotez speche.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)81/7 : She and y weren breches for because of the harlotis that handelithe women.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)204/125 : Stow þat harlot sum erthely wyght that in advowtrye here is ffownde.
- a1500 Terms Assoc.(3) (Lamb 306)233 : A haras of harlotes.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)52 : Þat wicked folke [Carmelites] wymmen bi-traieþ, And bigileþ hem of her good wiþ glauerynge wordes, And þerwiþ holden her hous in harlotes werkes.
b
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.249 : The harlottes [L meretrices] at Rome were callede nonariæ.
4.
(a) A male servant, menial; camp follower or scout; also, a messenger; -- usually with contemptuous overtones; (b) king of harlotes, an officer of a household having jurisdiction over vagrants, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)3 : Of rybaudz y ryme ant rede o mi rolle, of..harlotes, hors-knaues, bi pate & bi polle.
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)13 : Þe harlotes bueth horlynges ant haunteþ þe plawe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1754 : A sturdy harlot wente hem ay bihynde, That was hir hostes man and baar a sak.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ezek.7.22 : Thei schulen defoule my priuyte; and harlotis [several MSS add: ether messangeris; WB(1): foule men, or renners; L emissarii] schulen entre in to it, and schulen defoule it.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2743 : Harlottez and hansemene sall helpe bott littill; They will hye theym hyen, for all þeire gret wordes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)448/26 : Þis emperour..commaundid ij of his men to take hur..And..a wurthi man, & many men with hym..slew þies ij harlottis at was with hur.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)235/24 : Harlottys and haynxmen wol helpe us but a lytyll, for they woll hyde them in haste for all their hyghe wordys.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)9 : Hir suster..brought with her a grete hepe of harlotys.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)276 : Orienx..hadde sente by-fore them thre thousande harlotis, for to sette fier on the contrey a-boute and for to waste the londe.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6068 : My kyng of harlotes [F rois des ribaus] shalt thou be.
5.
A kind of parti-colored hose.
Associated quotations
- c1367 Eulogium (Trin-C R.7.2)3.231 : Habent etiam cligas..quas cum corrigiis ligant ad suos paltokkos quæ vocantur harlottes [vr. harlotes], et sicunus harlot servit alteri.
6.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1194) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.562 : Galfridus Herlot.
- (1246) Assize R.Lan.in LCRS 4785 : Ralph le Harlot.
- (1250) Bk.of Fees1181 : Johannes Harlot.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1353 : Adam Herloth.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1355 : Adam Herlot.
- (1276) Hundred R.Tower 154 : Johannes le Harlet.
- (1292) Pat.R.Edw.I508 : Matilda le Harlot.
- (1293) Let.Bk.Lond.A (Gldh LetBk A)183 : Bernard Herlot.
- (1304) Pat.R.Edw.I250 : Laurence Harlot.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Changed def. 5. 'A kind of boot.' to 'A kind of parti-colored hose.' per JLS slip.--JL