α. 1500s licht-skirt (Scottish), 1600s 1800s light-skirt.
β. 1500s–1600s 1800s– light-skirts.
light-skirtsn.
/ˈlʌɪtskəːts/, U.S. /ˈlaɪtˌskərts/ (A name for) a sexually promiscuous woman; a prostitute. Also occasionally in singular.Now chiefly in historical fiction.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > [noun] > sexual indulgence > unchaste behaviour of woman > unchaste or loose woman
queanOE
whorec1175
malkinc1275
wenchelc1300
ribalda1350
strumpeta1350
wench1362
filtha1375
parnelc1390
sinner14..
callet1415
slut?c1425
tickle-tailc1430
harlot?a1475
mignote1489
kittock?a1500
mulea1513
trulla1516
trully?1515
danta1529
miswoman1528
stewed whore1532
Tib1533
unchaghe1534
flag1535
Katy1535
jillet1541
yaud1545
housewife1546
trinkletc1550
whippet1550
Canace1551
filthy1553
Jezebel1558
kittyc1560
loonc1560
laced mutton1563
nymph1563
limmer1566
tomboy1566
Marian1567
mort1567
cockatrice1568
franion1571
blowze1573
rannell1573
rig1575
Kita1577
poplet1577
light-skirts1578
pucelle1578
harlotry1584
light o' lovea1586
driggle-draggle1588
wagtail1592
tub-tail1595
flirt-gill1597
minx1598
hilding1599
short-heels1599
bona-roba1600
flirt1600
Hiren1600
light-heels1602
roba1602
baggage1603
cousin1604
fricatrice1607
rumbelow1611
amorosa1615
jaya1616
open-taila1618
succubus1622
snaphancea1625
flap1631
buttered bun1638
puffkin1639
vizard1652
fallen woman1659
tomrigg1662
cunt1663
quaedama1670
jilt1672
crack1677
grass-girl1691
sporting girl1694
sportswoman1705
mobbed hood1707
brim1736
trollop1742
trub1746
demi-rep1749
gillyflower1757
lady of easy virtue1766
mot1773
chicken1782
gammerstang1788
buer1807
scarlet woman1816
blowen1819
fie-fie1820
shickster?1834
streel1842
charver1846
trolly1854
bad girl1855
amateur1862
anonyma1862
demi-virgin1864
pickup1871
chippy1885
wish-wife1886
tart1887
tartleta1890
flossy1893
fly girl1893
demi-mondaine1894
floozy1899
slattern1899
scrub1900
demi-vierge1908
cake1909
coozie1912
muff1914
tarty1918
yes-girl1920
radge1923
bike1945
puta1948
messer1951
cooze1955
jamette1965
skeezer1986
slutbag1987
chickenhead1988
ho1988
1578 J. Rolland Seuin Seages 52 Licht skirt for all thy skippis Had I the in my grippis, on the I suld be wrokin.
1597 Bp. J. Hall Virgidemiarum: 1st 3 Bks. i. viii. 17 Solomon..Singing his loue, the holy spouse of Christ: Like as she were some light-skirts of the rest.
1616 T. Tuke Treat. against Paintng 39 Actions..becomming onely light-skirts, and idle women.
1632 F. Quarles Divine Fancies iv. xii. 168 I'le tell thee, Light-skirts, whosoever taught Thy feet to dance, thy dancing had a Fault.
1834 H. Taylor Philip van Artevelde 2nd Pt. iii. iii. 114 She's a light skirts!
1898 Lit. World 4 Feb. 103 To consider her [sc. Highland Mary's] story..either (1) she was something of a light-skirts, or (2) she is a kind of Scottish Mrs. Harris.
2014 M. Rodale Wallflower gone Wild v. 78 Lord Rogan..usually consorted with the light-skirts of the demimonde and women of negotiable affections.
Compounds
General use as a modifier (in singular form).
ΚΠ
1606 Returne from Pernassus i. vi. sig. C You light skirt starres, this is your wonted guise, By glomy light perke out your doutfull heads.
1619 W. Sclater Expos. 1 Thess. (1630) 49 Any light-skirt Dame, or Courtly Herodias shall rather be imitated.
1891 W. A. Clouston in Athenæum 3 Oct. 452/1 [The parrot] told tales to its master of his light-skirt wife.
2014 A. Gracie Winter Bride i. 4 The soldier fellow ended up married to the silly light-skirt sister.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
n.1578