ˈcover-slut
Something worn to cover sluttishness, an outer garment put on over untidy attire, an apron, pinafore, or ‘brat’. Also fig.
| 1639 Short Contention betw. French-hood, Felt-Hat, etc. i. 9 Wee doe know you [i.e. the head-dress called ‘The Bagge’] to be..a meere rumpled..Taffeta Cover-slut. 1657 G. Starkey Helmont's Vind. 173 It is..hateful, that the providence of God should be misapplied as a cover-slut of idleness, ignorance, and unconscionableness. 1670 Acc. Scotland in Harl. Misc. VI. 139 (D.) Those women that can purchase plads need not bestow much upon other clothes, these cover-sluts being sufficient. 1795 Burke Regic. Peace iv. Wks. IX. 54 Rags and Coversluts of Infamy. 1808 Wolcott (P. Pindar) One more Peep Wks. 1812 V. 374 Put on your cover-slut of blue. 1845 Athenæum 4 Jan. 17 Exhibiting..a smart architectural ‘pinafore’ in front..a mere ‘coverslut’ intended to hide meanness and deformity. |