croshabell

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English

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Etymology

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

Noun

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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

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References

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  1. ^ croshabell n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang, Jonathon Green, 2016–present, retrieved 13 January 2020