▪ I. harlot, n.
(ˈhɑːlət)
Forms: 3– harlot; 3–4 herlot, (3 pl. har-, herloz), 4 harelot, harlatte, 4–6 harlote, -lotte, 5–6 -lat, 6 harllott.
[As a word of masculine gender found early in 13th c., as feminine in 15th c.; a. OF. herlot, harlot, arlot masc., lad, young fellow, base fellow, knave, vagabond = Pr. arlot vagabond, beggar, It. arlotto ‘a lack-latin or hedge-priest’ (Florio), ‘glutton, greedy gut, great eater’ (Baretti); cf. med.L. arlotus, erlotus glutton (Mahn); OSp. arlote, alrote lazy, sluggardly, loafing; OPg. alrotar to go about begging, Pg. to mock. Of this widely-diffused Romanic word, the ulterior history and origin are uncertain: see suggestions in Diez, Mahn Etymolog. Untersuch. No. 155, and Skeat.
The random ‘conjecture’ of Lambarde, 1570–6, retailed by many later writers, that harlot in sense 5 c was derived from the name of Arlette or Herleva, mother of William the Conqueror, could have been offered only after the earlier senses and uses of the word were forgotten.]
† 1. A vagabond, beggar, rogue, rascal, villain, low fellow, knave. In later use (16–17th c.), sometimes a man of loose life, a fornicator; also, often, a mere term of opprobrium or insult. Obs.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 356 And beggen ase on harlot, ȝif hit neod is, his liueneð. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 317 A foule herlote him slowe [un ribaud li tuayt]. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvii. 108 He was vnhardy, þat harlot and hudde hym in inferno. c 1386 Chaucer Reeve's T. 348 Ye false harlot, quod the Millere, hast? c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 248 Outt, harro! what harlot is he That says his kyngdom shalbe cryde? 1508 Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 359 Herefore, fals harlot, hursone, hald thy tong. 1549 Latimer 3rd Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 86 Was not thys a sedyciouse harlot? 1561–77 Durham Depos. (Surtees) 107 That I called him openly ‘beggerly harlot and cutthrote’. c 1620 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 103 A man a harlot, and a wife a whoore. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea 37 What should you do with such Harlots in your Service? which calls for holiness, and better principled men. |
† 2. An itinerant jester, buffoon, or juggler; one who tells or does something to raise a laugh. Obs.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxxix. 6 Hoppynge & daunnceynge of tumblers and herlotis, and oþer spectakils. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vii. 48 Hold not þou with harlotes, here not heore tales. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 352 Mynstrel and joȝelour, tumbler and harlot, wole not take of þe puple bifore þat þei han shewid þer craft. 14.. Nom. in Wr.-Wülcker 694 note, Hic scurra..harlot. 14.. Medulla, MS. Cant. (Promp. Parv.), Gerro, a tryfelour, or a harlott. 1483 Cath. Angl. 175/2 An Harlott, balatro (A. histrio)..ioculator, -trix. |
† 3. Applied to a male servant or attendant; a menial: cf. knave, in similar use. Obs.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 39 Þen þe harlot with haste helded to þe table. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 46 A sturdy harlot wente ay hem bihynde, That was hir hostes man, and bar a sak. c 1450 Merlin 9 When hir suster com..she brought with her a grete hepe of harlotys. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. 55 He repudiat his nobil quene..and gart his vicious harlotis deforce hir. |
† 4. = ‘Fellow’; playfully ‘good fellow’. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 647 He [Somonour] was a gentil harlot and a kynde A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde. a 1634 Chapman Revenge Hon. Wks. 1873 III. 325 That is an harlot. Prithee be musical and let us taste The sweetness of thy voice. |
5. Applied to a woman. a. As a general term of execration. (Cf. 1.) rare.
| c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) i. 326 What, ye harlottes, I haue aspied certeyn That ye be traytours to my lord the kyng. 1823 Carlyle Early Lett. (Norton) II. 236, I bullyrag the sluttish harlots of the place. |
† b. A female juggler, dancing-girl, ballet-dancer, or actress. (Cf. 2.) Obs.
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 175/2 An Harlott..ioculatrix, pantomima..histrix. |
c. spec. An unchaste woman; a prostitute; a strumpet.
(Very frequent in 16th c. Bible versions, where Wyclif had hoore, whore; prob. as a less offensive word.)
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 249 The harlottes at Rome were callede nonariæ. 1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 784 King Edwarde woulde say that he had three concubines..the thirde the holyest harlot in the realme. 1526 Tindale Luke xv. 30 Thy sonne..which hath devoured thy goodes with harlootes [Wycl. hooris; Rhem. whoores]. 1535 Coverdale Job xxxi. 9 O then let my wife be another mans harlot. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 200 Robert, the Duke of Normandie, had issue by a Concubine (whose name..was Harlothe, and after whom, as I coniecture, such incontinent women have ever since beene called Harlots). 1573–80 Baret Alv. H 170 An harlot, a whore, a strumpet, meretrix. [The only sense mentioned.] 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 766 Not in the bought smile Of Harlots, loveless, joyless, unindeard. 1718 Prior Pleasure 905 To each new harlot I new altars dress. 1826 Scott Woodst. iii, A tyrant and a harlot were fitting patron and patroness for such vanities. 1859 Tennyson Vivien 819 Tho' harlots paint their talk as well as face, With colours of the heart that are not theirs. |
| fig. 1560 Bible (Genev.) Isa. i. 21 How is the faithful citie become an harlot! [Wycl. 1382 a strumpet; 1388 an hoore.] 17.. Philips Wit & Wisdom (R.), Wit is a harlot beauteous to the eye. 1827 Pollok Course T. v, The Church a harlot then, When first she wedded civil power. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 298 The wealth..shall go to another harlot, Nineveh. |
† 6. Applied to unchaste persons of both sexes. Sc.
| 1563 Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. liii. Wks. 1888 I. 109 Gif the harlotis, for quhais causs matrimonie is violatit or adnullit, may mary wthiris. Ibid. 110 The twa harlotis to be ȝokit vp in a prætendit band of matrimonie. |
b. Hence, play the harlot. (Chiefly of women.)
| 1535 Coverdale Ezek. xvi. 28 Thou hast played the whore also with the Assirians..Yee thou hast played the harlot. 1541 Lond. Chron. Hen. VIII in Camd. Misc. IV. 16 Hanggid and quartarid..for playing the harlottes with queen Kataryn that then was. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ix. 226 Nobil men..with quhom she was accuiset to play the harlat. 1611 Bible Hos. iii. 3 Thou shalt not play the harlot. 1885 Bible (R.V.) App., [American Revisers' renderings] Substitute..‘play the harlot’ for ‘go a whoring’ and ‘commit whoredom’. |
† 7. Applied to the pointed boots worn in the 14th c. Obs.
| 13.. Eulog. Hist. (Rolls) III. 231 Habent etiam caligas..quas cum corrigiis ligant ad suos ‘paltokkos’ quæ vocantur ‘harlottes’ [v.r. harlotes], et sic unus ‘harlot’ servit alteri. |
8. attrib. passing into adj.: That is a harlot; of or pertaining to a harlot.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 27932 Harlot sagh, speche o disur, rimes vnright, gest of Iogolur. 13.. K. Alis. 3336 Thow him clepedst an harlot gome: Now thow seist he is the beste knyght. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1234 ‘Wat! harlot gadelyng..mote þou be heȝe an-honge!’ c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 219 Rouch rewlyngis apon thi harlot fete. 1570 Buchanan Ane Admonit. Wks. (1892) 24 Godles papistes, harlat protestantis. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. ii. ii. 138 And teare the stain'd skin of my Harlot brow. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 1060 The Harlot-lap Of Philistean Dalilah. 1742 Pope Dunc. iv. 45 A Harlot form, soft gliding by. a 1774 W. Harte Vis. Death (R.), Colours laid on with a true harlot grace; They only show themselves, and hide the face. 1879 Farrar St. Paul xviii. I. 331 The harlot city which had made the nations drunk with the..wine of her fornications. |
9. Comb. harlot-house, a brothel or stews.
| 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea Ep. Ded. C viij, The Mercenary Harlot houses that bee in the Italian..and Spanish Cities. |
▪ II. ˈharlot, v.
[f. prec. n.]
intr. To play the harlot. Hence harloting vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1641 Milton Animadv. i. Wks. (1847) 58/2 They that spend their youth in loitering, bezzling, and harlotting. 1675 Wycherley Country Wife v. iv, O! thou harloting harlotry! hast thou done't then? 1697 C. Leslie Snake in Grass (ed. 2) 35 By their own Argument, all the Quakers are Harlotted from the Church of Christ. 1864 Daily Tel. 9 Feb., How about the courtesans harlotting in your streets? |