croshabell

English

Etymology

Blend of crouse (lively, bold) + belle (attractive woman)[1]

Noun

croshabell (plural croshabells)

  1. (obsolete) A prostitute.
    • 1607, “How George Read a Play-Book to a Gentleman”, in The Jests of George Peele; republished in The Works of George Peele, 2nd edition, volume 2, London: William Pickering, 1829, page 290:
      [] in Italian called a curtezan, in Spain, a margerite, in French une curtain, in England, among the barbarous, a whore, but among the gentle, their usual associates, a punk: but now the word refined being latest, and the authority brought from a climate as yet unconquered, the fruitful county of Kent, they call them croshabell, which is a word but lately used, and fitting with their trade, being of a lovely and courteous condition.

Synonyms

References

  1. Jonathon Green (2024) “croshabell n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang, retrieved 13 January 2020
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