# harlot
## English
### Etymology

From Middle English harlot, from Old French harlot, herlot, arlot (“vagabond; tramp”), of obscure origin. Likely to be ultimately of Germanic origin, either from a derivation of *harjaz (“army; camp; warrior; military leader”) or from a diminutive of *karilaz (“man; fellow”). Compare English carlot.

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈhɑːlət/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* (General American) IPA: /ˈhɑɹlət/
** Audio (US):(file)

### Noun

harlot (plural harlots)
* (derogatory, offensive, dated) A female prostitute.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:prostitute
** c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 98, lines 204-205:This day (great Duke) ſhe ſhut the doores vpon me, / While she with Harlots feaſted in my housſe.
** 1890, William Booth, chapter 6, in In Darkest England and the Way Out‎:The bastard of a harlot, born in a brothel, suckled on gin, and familiar from earliest infancy with all the bestialities of debauch, […]
** 1908, William Blake, To the Accuser Who Is the God of This World:Truly, My Satan, thou art but a Dunce, / And dost not know the Garment from the Man. / Every Harlot was a Virgin once, / Nor canst thou ever change Kate into Nan.
** 1915, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter LXXVII, in Of Human Bondage, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, →OCLC:He was stopped by a painted harlot, who put her hand on his arm; he pushed her violently away with brutal words.
** 1918, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Hail! Childish Slaves Of Social Rules”, in New Poems and Variant Readings‎, London: Chatto & Windus:O fine religious, decent folk, / In Virtue’s flaunting gold and scarlet, / I sneer between two puffs of smoke,— / Give me the publican and harlot.
** 1980, Dave Murray (lyrics and music), “Charlotte the Harlot”, in Iron Maiden, performed by Iron Maiden:Charlotte the Harlot show me your legs, / Charlotte the Harlot take me to bed. / Charlotte the Harlot let me see blood, / Charlotte the Harlot let me see love.
* (derogatory, offensive) A female who is considered promiscuous.
    Synonyms: skeezer, slut, whore, hussy; see also Thesaurus:promiscuous woman
* (obsolete) A churl; a common man; a person, male or female, of low birth, especially one given to low conduct.
    Synonyms: rake, hussy; see also Thesaurus:villain
** 1544, R. Tracy, Supplycacion to Kynge Henry VIII:By suche ydle and wicked harlottes the enheritaunce of Christe is troden vnder fote.
** a. 1653, “Joseph Tempted to Adultery”, in Zion's Flowers, published 1855, page 103:When lust doth rage it like a canker frets; It topsie turvie, upside downe all sets; […] Where once it reigneth, there it maketh sure, A man a harlot, and a wife a whoore;
** 1659, Daniel Pell, Pelagos […] Or, An improvement of the sea […] , page 37:[Take into your service] none but such as deny all ungod∣liness, and worldly lusts, and live soberly, chastely, and moderately in the Seas, and whose speech is not stinking, and unclean, as most Sea-mens are. What should you do with such Harlots in your service? which calls for holiness, and better principled men.

#### Derived terms

* hap-harlot
* harlotize
* harlotry

#### Translations
### Verb

harlot (third-person singular simple present harlots, present participle harloting or harlotting, simple past and past participle harloted or harlotted)
* To play the harlot; to practice lewdness.
    Synonyms: harlotize; see also Thesaurus:harlotize
** 1614, John Milton, Animadversions upon the Remonstrants Defense against Smectymnuus:[…] they that spend their youth in loitering, bezzling, and harlotting, their studies in unprofitable questions, and barbarous sophistry

### Adjective

harlot (comparative more harlot, superlative most harlot)
* (now uncommon) Wanton; lewd; low; base.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:obscene
** 1943, Nick Joaquin, “It was Later than we Thought”, in Philippine Review:The intellection in it, kiddo—the intellection.... That most harlot of harlots... talking of me, laughing at me... I'll kill her....

### Anagrams

* thoral

## Middle English
### Noun

harlot
* a churl; a common man; a person, male or female, of low birth
** 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:He was a gentil harlot and a kynde(please add an English translation of this quotation)
* a person given to low conduct; a rogue; a cheat; a rascal
** 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:Ye false harlot (quod the myller) haste A false traytour, false clerke (quod he) Thou shalte be deed by goddes dignyte(please add an English translation of this quotation)