demirep

English

Etymology

From demi- +‎ reputation.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈdɛmiːɹɛp/

Noun

demirep (plural demireps)

1. (colloquial, dated) A woman of doubtful reputation or suspected character; an adventuress.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, page 569,

     he had no knowledge of that character which is vulgarly called a demirep; that is to say, a woman who intrigues with every man she likes, under the name and appearance of virtue [...] in short, whom everybody knows to be what nobody calls her.

   • 1813, Leigh Hunt, in a journal article about the prince.(Chambers, R.. "'The Book of Days': A miscellany of popular antiquities. Londres: W & R Chambers, 1832." Google Books).

     […] in short, this delightful, blissful, wise, pleasurable, honourable, virtuous, true, and immortal prince, was a violator of his word, a libertine, over head and ears in disgrace, a despiser of domestic ties, the companion of gamblers and demireps: […]

   • 1822, Thomas de Quincey, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater,

     […] the greater part of our confessions (that is, spontaneous and extra-judicial confessions) proceed from demireps, adventurers, or swindlers: […]

   • 1904, Oscar Wilde, The Ballad of Reading Gaol,

     With the mincing step of a demirep / Some sidled up the stairs: […]

References

• demirep in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• impeder
• per diem
• remiped