Middle English Dictionary Entry
putain n.
Entry Info
| Forms | putain n. Also putaigne, putein, poteine & put(e. |
| Etymology | OF pute; infl. putain, -ein. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A whore, prostitute; fitz a ~, fitz dei ~, whoreson.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8998 : Fiz a putain, wiþstonde! Þou schalt abigge þat þou þer come.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.426 : Sadok in hert wex wroþ & missayd him..& clepd him 'fiz a putayn'.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)70/1505 : O traitour, fiz a puteyn [vr. poteyne]! Whi had þi wif bi me lain?
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Bar.6.10 : Of it thei ȝeuen to pute [vr. the putt] in bordel house, and ournen hooris.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11879 : 'Fiz aputains [Göt: Fiz a putaines; Trin-C: hore sones],' he said, 'quat er yee?'
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.293 : Þes laste folk semen virginis, but þei ben foule putis.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.27 : For Joon Baptist cam to ȝou..and ȝe trowiden not to him..but puplicans and puteyns [vrr. putaynis; hooris] trowiden to him, and diden aftir him.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)7447 : Episcropus..Spak to Ector wordes foule; He called him 'fitz aputayn'.
- a1400 PPl.C (LdMisc 656)7.306 : For puteynes of here yuel wynnyng [Hnt: For an hore of hure ers-wynnynge may hardiloker tythe Þan an erraunt vsurer].
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1275 : Com oppon hir body, þat fals putaigne!
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)276 : Fitz dei putein [F fil a putain], what a-byde, ye treitours!