sirrah

See also: Sirrah

English

An extended form of sir; the source of the final vowel is unclear.[1] See also siree.

sirrah (plural sirrahs)

(obsolete) A term of address to an inferior male or more commonly a child. A modern-day equivalent would be "little man". [from c. 1520-1530]
- 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 116, column 2:
  Kemp. Yea marry, let them come before mee, what is your name, friend? / Bor. Borachio. / Kem. Pray write downe Borachio. Yours ſirra. / Con. I am a Gentleman ſir, and my name is Conrade.
- c. 1613 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Tragedie of Bonduca”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act II, scene iii, page 54, column 1:
  VVhat ſay you to a leg of Beef novv, ſirha?

term of address to an inferior male or more commonly a child

“sirrah, n.”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present, reproduced from Stuart Berg Flexner, editor in chief, Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Random House, 1993, →ISBN.

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