- bawd
- noun Etymology: Middle English bawde Date: 14th century 1. obsolete pander 2. a. one who keeps a house of prostitution ; madam b. prostitute
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
bawd
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bawd´i|ly — bawd|y «B dee», adjective, bawd|i|er, bawd|i|est, noun. –adj. not decent; lewd; obscene. SYNONYM(S): indecent, unchaste. –n … Useful english dictionary
bawd|y — «B dee», adjective, bawd|i|er, bawd|i|est, noun. –adj. not decent; lewd; obscene. SYNONYM(S): indecent, unchaste. –n … Useful english dictionary
bawd — bawd·i·ly; bawd·i·ness; bawd·ry; bawd; … English syllables
Bawd — Bawd, n. [OE. baude, OF. balt, baut, baude, bold, merry, perh. fr. OHG. bald bold; or fr. Celtic, cf. W. baw dirt. Cf. {Bold}, {Bawdry}.] A person who keeps a house of prostitution, or procures women for a lewd purpose; a procurer or procuress; a … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Bawd — Bawd, v. i. To procure women for lewd purposes. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
bawd|ry — «B dree», noun. 1. obscenity; lewdness. 2. Archaic. the practice or occupation of a bawd. 3. Obsolete. unchastity; fornication … Useful english dictionary
bawd — /bawd/, n. 1. a woman who maintains a brothel; madam. 2. a prostitute. 3. Archaic. a procuress. [1325 75; ME bawde, n. use of MF baude, fem. of baud jolly, dissolute < WGmc; cf. OE bald BOLD] * * * … Universalium
bawd — a complicated word of uncertain history. First attested late 15c., lewd person (of either sex; since c.1700 applied only to women), probably from baude strote procurer of prostitutes (mid 14c.), which may be from M.E. bawde (adj.) merry, joyous,… … Etymology dictionary
bawd — [bôd] n. [ME baude, lewd person < ? OFr baud, merry, licentious (< Frank bald, bold) > Fr baudet, donkey, also (in Picardy) loose woman] 1. Literary a person, now esp. a woman, who keeps a brothel; madam 2. Rare a prostitute … English World dictionary
bawd — /bɔd/ (say bawd) noun 1. Archaic a procuress. 2. Archaic a female prostitute. 3. Obsolete a pimp. {Middle English bawde, ? from French baud merry, bold, of Germanic origin; compare Old English bald bold} …
bawd — /bod/ One who procures opportunities for persons of opposite sexes to cohabit in an illicit manner; who may be, while exercising the trade of a bawd, perfectly innocent of committing in his or her own proper person the crime either of adultery or … Black's law dictionary
