| 18th Century Thieves Cant |
|---|
| Women |
| Women : Insult/Negative Description |
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| APE LEADER | An old maid; their punishment after death, for neglecting increase and multiply, will be, it is said, leading apes in hell. | 1811 |
| BRIM | or 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 |
| CLEAVE | as, One that will cleave; used of a Wanton Woman. Vide Clown | 1737 |
| CLOVEN | Cleave, or Cleft; used of a young Woman who passes for a Maid, and is not one. | 1737 |
| CLOVEN, CLEAVE, or CLEFT | A term used for a woman who passes for a maid, but is not one. | 1811 |
| COMING-WOMEN | such as are free of their Flesh; also breeding Women. | 1737 |
| FLORENCE | a Wench that is touzd and ruffled | 1737 |
| FUSSOCK | A lazy fat woman. An old fussock; a frowsy old woman. | 1811 |
| FUSSOCKS | as A meer Fussocks, a lazy fat wench. A fat Fussocks, a fat fulsom, strapping Woman. | 1737 |
| FUSTILUGGS | a fulsom, beastly, nasty Woman. | 1737 |
| FUSTY LUGGS | A beastly, sluttish woman. | 1811 |
| GILL-FLURT | a proud Minks; also a Slut or light Housewife. | 1737 |
| HARRIDAN | one that is half a Whore, half a Bawd, also a notorious Shrew, or noisy old Woman. | 1737 |
| HARRIDAN | A 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-FLYERS | impudent, forward, loose, light Women, also bold Adventurers. | 1737 |
| HIGHTE-TITY | a Romp or rude Girl. | 1737 |
| JILT | a tricking Woman. | 1737 |
| JILT | A tricking woman, who encourages the addresses of a man whom she means to deceive and abandon. | 1811 |
| LADY-BIRDS | light, or lewd Women. | 1737 |
| LADYBIRDS | Light or lewd women. | 1811 |
| MAWKES | A vulgar slattern. | 1811 |
| MOPSEY | A dowdy, or homely woman. | 1811 |
| MOPSIE | a Dowdy, or homely Woman. | 1737 |
| MUNSTER HEIFER | An Irish woman. A woman with thick legs is said to be like a Munster heifer; i.e. beef to the heels. | 1811 |
| QUEER MORT | A diseased strumpet. CANT. | 1811 |
| QUEERE-DOXY | a jilting Jade, a sorry shabby Wench. | 1737 |
| QUEERE-MORT | a dirty Drab, a jilting Wench, a pocky Jade. | 1737 |
| ROMP | A 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 |
| SCAB | a sorry Wench, or scoundrel Fellow. | 1737 |
| SCAB | A worthless man or woman. | 1811 |
| SLAMKIN | A female sloven, one whose clothes seem hung on with a pitch-fork, a careless trapes. | 1811 |
| STALE MAID | at her last Prayers. | 1737 |
| TRIGRY-MATE | an idle She-companion. | 1737 |
| TRIGRYMATE | An idle female companion. | 1811 |
| TROT | as, An old Trot, a sorry, base, old Woman. A Dog Trot; A pretty Pace. | 1737 |
| TRUG | a dirty Puzzle, an ordinary sorry Woman. | 1737 |
| VIXEN | A termagant; also a she fox, who, when she has cubs, is remarkably fierce. | 1811 |
| Women : Physical Descriptions |
|---|
| BUNDLE-TAIL | a short, fat, or squat Lass. | 1737 |
| HATCHET FACED | hard favoured, homely. | 1737 |
| LADY | a very crooked, deformed and ill-shapen Woman. | 1737 |
| LADY | A crooked or hump-backed woman. | 1811 |
| LONG MEG | A jeering name for a very tall woman: from one famous in story, called Long Meg of Westminster. | 1811 |
| LONG-MEG | a very tall Woman. | 1737 |
| PLATTER-FACES JADE | a very broad ordinary faced Woman. | 1737 |
| SOW | A fat woman. He has got the wrong sow by the ear, he mistakes his man. Drunk as Davids sow; see DAVIDS SOW. | 1811 |
| VAN-NECK | Miss or Mrs. Van-Neck; a woman with large breasts; a bushel bubby. | 1811 |
| Women : Praise/Positive Description |
|---|
| BLEACH | as The Mort lay last Night a Bleaching; the Wench looks very fair to Day. | 1737 |
| DIMBER-MORT | a pretty Wench | 1737 |
| EWE | or, The white Ewe; a Top-woman very beautiful. | 1737 |
| EWE | A white ewe; a beautiful woman. An old ewe, drest lamb fashion; an old woman, drest like a young girl. | 1811 |
| FAIR-ROE-BUCK | a Woman in the Bloom of her Beauty. | 1737 |
| FRIGATE | A well-rigged frigate; a well-dressed wench. | 1811 |
| FRIGOT WELL RIGGED | a Woman well drest and genteel. | 1737 |
| GENTRY MORT | A gentlewoman. | 1811 |
| GENTRY-MORT | a Gentlewoman. | 1737 |
| GIMCRACK | a spruce Wench. | 1737 |
| PUREST-PURE | a Top-Mistress or fine Woman. | 1737 |
| RUM BLOWEN | A handsome wench. CANT. | 1811 |
| RUM DELL | See RUM DOXY. | 1811 |
| RUM MORT | A queen, or great lady. CANT. | 1811 |
| RUM-DELL | the same as, Rum-Doxy. | 1737 |
| RUM-DOXY | a beautiful Woman, or light Lady. | 1737 |
| RUM-DUTCHESS | a jolly handsome Woman. | 1737 |
| RUM-MORT | a Queen, or great Lady. | 1737 |
| Women : Related Terms |
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| ANKLE | A girl who is got with child, is said to have sprained her ankle. | 1811 |
| CAMBRIDGE-FORTUNE | a Woman without any Substance. | 1737 |
| CLUCK | a Wenchs Propension to Male-Conversation, by her romping and playfulness; when they say, The Mort Clucks. | 1737 |
| DELLS | young 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 |
| DELLS | Young 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 |
| FROE | for 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 mistress | Brush 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-PRANCIUM | such a stiff, overnice precise Madam. | 1737 |
| MORT | A woman or wench; also a yeomans daughter. To be taken all-a mort; to be confounded, surprised, or motionless through fear. | 1811 |
| MORTS | Yeomans Daughters; also a Wife, Woman, or Wench. | 1737 |
| MOT | A girl, or wench. See MORT. | 1811 |
| STAMMEL | or Strammel; a brawny, lusty, strapping Wench. | 1737 |
| STAMMEL, or STRAMMEL | A coarse brawny wench. | 1811 |
| STRAMMEL | See STAMMEL. | 1811 |
| STRAPPING-LASS | a swinging two-handed Woman. | 1737 |
| TART DAMES | sharp, quick, pert. | 1737 |
| TOM-BOY | a Tom Rig, or Romp. | 1737 |
| TOMBOY | A romping girl, who prefers the amusement used by boys to those of her own sex. | 1811 |
| VIRAGO | a masculine Woman, or a great two-handed Female. | 1737 |
| Women : Wives and Widows |
|---|
| ACE OF SPADES | A widow. | 1811 |
| COMFORTABLE IMPORTANCE | A wife. | 1811 |
| COMFORTABLE-IMPORTANCE | a Wife. | 1737 |
| CONVENIENCY | a Wife; also a Mistress. | 1737 |
| CONVENIENT | A mistress. CANT. | 1811 |
| CURTAIN LECTURE | A woman who scolds her husband when in bed, is said to read him a curtain lecture. | 1811 |
| CURTAIN-LECTURE | Womens impertinent scolding at their Husbands behind the Curtain. | 1737 |
| HEMPEN WIDOW | One whose husband was hanged. | 1811 |
| HEMPEN-WIDOW | one whose Husband was hanged. | 1737 |
| POISONED | big with Child. | 1737 |
| POISONED | Big with child: that wench is poisoned, see how her belly is swelled. Poison-pated: red-haired. | 1811 |
| WHITHER-DYE-GO | an insolent prescribing, very, Wife. | 1737 |
| WHITHER-GO-YE | A wife: wives being sometimes apt to question their husbands whither they are going. | 1811 |
| XANTIPPE | a 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 |
| XANTIPPE | The name of Socratess wife: now used to signify a shrew or scolding wife. | 1811 |
| Women : Women in General |
|---|
| COOLER | a Woman. | 1737 |
| COOLER | A woman. | 1811 |
| FLAT COCK | A female. | 1811 |
| GUN-POWDER | an old Woman. | 1737 |
| JUDY | a blowen ; but sometimes used when speaking familiarly of any woman. | 1819 |
| LACD MUTTON | a Woman | 1737 |
| MOLLISHER | a woman. | 1819 |
| PIECE | A 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-POUCH | an Hostess or Landlady. | 1737 |
| TIB | a young Lass. | 1737 |
| TIB | A young lass | 1811 |
| TITTER | a young woman or girl. | 1819 |
