Middle English Dictionary Entry
strumpet n.
Entry Info
| Forms | strumpet n. Also strumpete, -eth, -it, -id, strompet, -at, -id, (gen.) strumpet(t)is, stroumpetis & (errors) stumpet, strmpet; pl. strumpetes, etc. & strumppettes, strumpatis, strompettes & (error) streppettys. |
| Etymology | Origin uncertain; ?cp. L stuprum illicit intercourse & ML strupum concubinage & OF stuprer to violate. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A prostitute, whore; a concubine; a loose woman, an adulteress; also fig.; ~ womman, womman ~; ~ arrai, the garb of a harlot; ~ mongere, one who consorts with prostitutes, a whoremonger; strumpetis hous, a brothel; (b) glossing L pronuba: a go-between or procuress; (c) as a term of abuse; (d) in proverbs.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Lord þat lenest (Hrl 2253)11 : Ȝef a ledy lyne is leid after lawe, vch a strumpet..such drahtes wl drawe.
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)162/60 : Go þou noȝt to wraxling no scheting ate cok, As it were a strompet [How GWife(3): strmpet] or a gigelot.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Jer.3.3 : The forhed of a strumpet womman is maad to thee.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.2.1 : Two men aspyes..ȝedyn in to an hous of a woman strompet.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.7.11 : A womman aȝeyn cam to hym with strumpet aray.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.1.21 : What maner is maad a strumpet [WB(2): hoore; L meretrix], þe feiþful cite ful of dom?
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.299 : He fonde seven children i-leyde bysides a pond, þat a strompat [Higd.(2): a woman of ylle disposicion] hadde i-bore.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.419 : Strompettes [Higd.(2): harlottes and hoores; L pellicibus] were i-putte awey and remevede.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)15.42 : That seeþ hym-self synneles, cesse nat..To stryke with stoon oþer with staf this strompett to deþe.
- (c1400) Higd.(1) (Hrl 1900)521 : The emperour bade him..rede the gospel and he wolde nouȝt, for he had defouled hym silf with a strompet the niȝt toforhond.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)13/7 : A stroumpetis forhed is made vnto þee, & þou woldist not be aschamed.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.1.53 : Who..hath suffred aprochen to this sike man thise comune strompettis [vr. strumpetis; L meretriculas; F putereles] of swich a place that men clepen the theatre?
- ?a1425 Wycl.CChron.(2) (Em 85)186/339 : Pope gregory..commandid þat no man schuld heer masse of a prest þat held a strumpete.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Curates (Corp-C 296)156 : Þei gon to scole..& studyen wiþ þe cuppe & strumpatis.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)31/325 : A haþ maad his sowle þat was so clene & so vre soget & seruaunt to þe strumpet of synne.
- a1450 WBible(2) (Corp-C 147)Deut.23.18 : Strumpetis hous [L prostibuli; Roy: Thou schalt not offre the hire of an hoore hows].
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)233 : Mercurius..is clepid meretrix planetarum, id est, strumpid of planetis, fore she folows the kynde of every planete that she is medlid with in any aspecte.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)3/2 : Sho become þe moste common strompyd in all þe land.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)2.21 : How may any man sey truly hym-self to loue god..if he see..Cristes spouse to be a strompet..and he rekkyth not ther-of?
- (1451) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)336 : There be comone vagrantes, riotours, Strumpetmongers, and theves.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)185 : In that yere were streppettys [?read: stromppettys] i-dreve a-boute the Cytte of London whythe raye hodys.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)2 : He told þe knyȝt how þat his wif was a strompet.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)745 : Grosse coniunccions..make but 1, for seldom haue strumppettes chylderne of hem bore.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)13/69b : Fornix: a strumpetys howse.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)18/109a : Prostibulum: a strumpettis howse, kyttchyne.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)695/15 : Meritrix, tabernaria: a strumpytt.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)695/21 : Elena: a strumpytt.
b
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)39/168a : Pronuba..a bawde or a strumpete.
- ?c1460 *Medulla (Add 33534)96a/a : Pronuba: a strumpet.
c
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)37/180 : Now artou wel imet, Þow vyle foule stumpet [read: strumpet]..Þou foulest avouteresse.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)112/1 : Þu art a fals strumpet, a fals loller, & a fals deceyuer of þe pepyl.
- c1450 Ladd Y the daunce (Cai 383/603)p.308 : Sey, thou stronge strumpeth, ware hastu bene?
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.23.27 : A dep dich, forsothe, is a strumpet, and a streit pit an alien womman.
- a1500 Prov.MS.Hrl.3362 in Whiting Prov.p.452 : The smellere pesyn, the mo to the pot; The fayrere womman, the more gygelot or strumpet.