ribaldry
(ˈrɪbəldrɪ)
Forms: α. 4 riboud-, 4–6 ri-, rebaud-, 4–7 ribaud-; 5 rebawd-, 5–6 ri-, rybawd-. β. 5 ry-, 6–7 ribauld-; 5–6 ry-, rebald-, 6 ribaldry (7 ribb-). Also 4 -ri, 4–5 -rye, 4–7 -rie; 5 -ery.
[a. OF. re-, ribau(l)derie (= Sp., Pg., and It. ribalderia): see ribald n. and -ry. So MDu. ribauderie.]
† 1. Debauchery, lasciviousness, vice. Obs.
| α 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 184 For þefte, & for þrepyng, vn-þonk may mon haue; For roborrye, & riboudrye. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶390 Schewyng of vice and rybaudrie and seruage of synne. 1474 Caxton Chesse 20, I shal say that I haue slayn you for your rybaudrye. 1547 Bk. of Marchantes d v, The desyre to norishe well..their rybawdry or (as thei saye) their estate. 1567–9 Jewel Def. Apol. (1611) 345 Take Harlots away from among men, and ye fill all the Country with ribaudrie and villanie. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. i. iii. (1636) 207 A Jew maide..turned..Christian that she might freely exercise the art of Ribaudrie. |
| β c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. v. iv. 708 Al his men he lewit for þi In til al tyme oysse rebaldry, And alkyn wicis at þar wil. 1483 Caxton Cato A vi b, Dame harlote ye come from your rybauldrye as ye ben acustomed. 1577 tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 200 Let him punish dishonestie, ribauldrie, filthy lust. 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God 56 Their beastly stage plaiers acted such ribauldry as was a shame [etc.]. 1645 Milton Tetrach. Wks. 1851 IV. 198 A little purer then the prerogative of a legal and public ribaldry. |
2. Obscenity or coarseness of language,
† a coarse tale, a rude composition; in later use, scurrilous or irreverent jesting; coarse or wanton mockery.
| α 13.. Cursor M. 23856 (Gött.), Bot war a ribaudri vs tald, Of a fantum.., Þat suld we hald in herte stable. 1393 [see ribald n. 4]. c 1460 Vrbanitatis 76 in Babees Book (1868) 15 Lawȝe þou not with no grette cry, Ne Rage þou not with Rybawdry. c 1460 Stans Puer ad Mensam 44 Ibid. 24 Swere none othes, speke no ribawdrye. 1514 Barclay Egloges ii. (1570) B ij, On eche side soundeth foule speche of ribawdry. 1592 Greene Disput. Wks. (Grosart) X. 270, I..still delighted in iangling Ditties of rybaudrie. 1606 Holland Sueton. 250 So skurrile and filthy, that he could not so much as forbeare words of ribaudrie. |
| β 1501 Douglas Pal. Hon. Epil., Ressaue this roustie rurall rebaldrie. 1589 Nashe Anat. Absurd. Wks. (Grosart) I. 43 Tender youth ought to bee restrained for a time from the reading of such ribauldrie. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iii. iv, We haue as much ribaldrie in our plaies, as can bee. 1682 Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.) Ess. Poetry, Bare ribaldry, that poor pretence to wit. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 36 ¶8 To the great Offence of chaste and tender Ears, they learn Ribaldry, obscene Songs, and immodest Expressions. 1759 Goldsm. Polite Learn. x[ii], The piece..pleases the galleries because it has ribaldry. 1827 Hallam Const. Hist. ii. (1876) I. 93 The ribaldry which vulgar protestants uttered against their most sacred mystery. 1886 Ruskin Præterita I. 399 An article in Blackwood's..of sufficiently telling ribaldry. |
| personif. 1781 Cowper Table-T. 729 Satire has..done his best, and curst And loathsome ribaldry has done his worst. |
† 3. a. Rabble, canaille.
Obs. rare.
| 1550 J. Coke Eng. & Fr. Heralds (1877) §190. 112 The sayde rybaldry callyng them selves Hungariens. Ibid. §201. 115, I dare let slyp a .C. good yomen of England or Wales to .V{supc}. of such ribaldry. |
† b. A trumpery toy.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits (1596) 183 To make clocks, pictures, poppets and other ribaldries which are impertinent to mans service. |
† 4. attrib. or as adj. Obscene, indecent.
Obs.| 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 62 b, I consayle the refrayne thy selfe fro such foule and rebaudry wordes. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health clxiii. 58 b, With out swerynge or slaunderynge, and rybaldry speaking. 1592 Nashe Four Lett. Confut. Wks. (Grosart) II. 247 Such a ribauldry Don Diego as thou art. 1633 Prynne 1st Pt. Histriom. 225 Not onely Drunkennesse, Luxury, Playes, and ribaldry Songs. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 124 It hath been pleasing..to drinke in ribauldrie abominations. |