† loreln.adj.
Obsolete.
A. n.
a. A worthless person, rogue, blackguard; = losel n. and adj. In 16th cent. often opposed to lord.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > worthlessness > worthless person > [noun]
ribalda1250
brethelingc1275
filec1300
waynouna1350
waster1352
lorel1362
losel1362
land-leaper1377
javelc1400
leftc1400
lorerc1400
shackerellc1420
brethel1440
never-thrift1440
ne'er-thrifta1450
never-thrivinga1450
nebulona1475
breelc1485
naughty pack?1534
brathel1542
unsel155.
pelf1551
wandrel?1567
land-loper1570
scald1575
baggage1594
arrant1605
good-for-nothing1611
hilding1611
vauneant1621
idle-pack1624
thimble-maker1654
never-do-well1664
ne'er-be-good1675
shack1682
vagabond1686
shag-bag1699
houndsfoot1710
blackguard1732
ne'er-do-well1737
trumpery1738
rap1742
good-for-naught1773
rip1781
mauvais sujet1793
scamp1808
waffie1808
loose fish1809
ne'er-do-good1814
hard bargain1818
vaurien1829
sculpin1834
shicer1846
wastrel1847
scallywag1848
shack-bag1855
beat1865
rodney1877
git1939
no-hoper1944
piss artist1962
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > [noun] > worthlessness > good-for-nothing person
brethelingc1275
filec1300
dogc1330
ribald1340
waynouna1350
waster1352
lorel1362
losel1362
land-leaper1377
triflera1382
brothelc1390
javelc1400
leftc1400
lorerc1400
shackerellc1420
brethel1440
never-thrift1440
vagrant1444
ne'er-thrifta1450
never-thrivinga1450
nebulona1475
breelc1485
naughty pack?1534
brathel1542
carrion1547
slim1548
unsel155.
pelf1551
shifterc1562
rag1566
wandrel?1567
land-loper1570
nothing-worth1580
baggage1594
roly-poly1602
bash-rag1603
arrant1605
ragabash?1609
flabergullion1611
hilding1611
hard bargain1612
slubberdegullion1612
vauneant1621
knick-knacker1622
idle-pack1624
slabberdegullion1653
thimble-maker1654
whiffler1659
never-do-well1664
good-for-nought1671
ne'er-be-good1675
shack1682
vagabond1686
shabaroon1699
shag-bag1699
houndsfoot1710
ne'er-do-well1737
trumpery1738
rap1742
hallion1789
scamp1808
waffie1808
ne'er-do-good1814
vaurien1829
sculpin1834
shicer1846
good-for-nothing1847
wastrel1847
scallywag1848
shack-bag1855
beat1865
toe-rag1875
rodney1877
toe-ragger1896
low-lifer1902
punk1904
lowlife1909
ringtail1916
git1939
no-hoper1944
schlub1950
piss artist1962
dead leg1964
1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. viii. 123 ‘Lewede lorel!’ quod he, ‘luite lokestou on the bible’.
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Cambr.) i. pr. iv. 13 I se þat euery lorel shapith hym to fynde owt newe fraudes.
c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 191 Herefore ben many proude & lecherous lorelis founden & dowid wiþ temperal & worldly lordischipis.
c1440 Gesta Romanorum (Harl.) x. 28 If þou be so bold to telle of me, I shall breke þine hed; what lorell art thou!
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. cclxviv To lorellys often the lorde moste lowt.
c1522 T. More Treat. Memorare Nouissima in Wks. (1557) I. 84 While the lorel playth the lord in a stage playe.
a1529 J. Skelton Poems against Garnesche in Poet Wks. (1843) I. 120 I am laureat, I am no lorelle.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 659 I play the lorell or the loyterer.
1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates York xx. 61 b That cruell Clifford, lord, nay Lorell wilde.
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. July f. 27v Thou speakes lyke a lewde lorrell.
1647 G. Wharton Grand Pluto's Progresse 15 Thou talk'st like a Lorrell.
b. Cock Lorel n. the name of the owner and captain of the boat containing jovial reprobates of all trades, in a humorous and sarcastic poem Cocke Lorelles Bote (printed by Wynkyn de Worde c1515), partly imitating the Shyp of Folys. Afterwards used allusively with the force of ‘rogue, reprobate’.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > rogue > [noun]
harlot?c1225
truantc1290
shreward1297
boyc1300
lidderon13..
cokinc1330
pautenerc1330
bribera1387
bricouna1400
losarda1400
rascal?a1400
custronc1400
knapea1450
sloven?a1475
limmerc1485
knavatec1506
smaik?1507
smy?1507
koken?a1513
swinger1513
Cock Lorel?1518
pedlar's French1530
varletc1540
losthope?c1550
makeshift1554
wild rogue1567
miligant1568
rogue1568
crack-halter1573
rascallion1582
schelm1584
scoundrel1589
scaba1592
bezonian1592
slave1592
rampallion1593
Scanderbeg1601
roly-poly1602
canter1608
cantler1611
gue1612
fraudsman1613
Cathayana1616
crack-hempa1616
foiterer1616
tilt1620
picaro1622
picaroon1629
sheepmanc1640
rapscallion1648
scaramouch1677
fripon1691
trickster1711
shake-bag1794
sinner1809
cad1838
badmash1843
scattermouch1892
jazzbo1914
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun] > rogue, knave, or rascal
harlot?c1225
knavec1275
truantc1290
shreward1297
boinarda1300
boyc1300
lidderon13..
cokinc1330
pautenerc1330
bribera1387
bricouna1400
losarda1400
rascal?a1400
knapea1450
lotterela1450
limmerc1485
Tutivillus1498
knavatec1506
smy?1507
koken?a1513
swinger1513
Cock Lorel?1518
pedlar's French1530
cust1535
rabiator1535
varletc1540
Jack1548
kern1556
wild rogue1567
miligant1568
rogue1568
tutiviller1568
rascallion1582
schelm1584
scoundrel1589
rampallion1593
Scanderbeg1601
scroyle1602
canter1608
cantler1611
skelm1611
gue1612
Cathayana1616
foiterer1616
tilt1620
picaro1622
picaroon1629
sheepmanc1640
rapscallion1648
marrow1656
Algerine1671
scaramouch1677
fripon1691
shake-bag1794
badling1825
tiger1827
two-for-his-heels1837
ral1846
skeezicks1850
nut1882
gun1890
scattermouch1892
tug1896
natkhat1901
jazzbo1914
scutter1940
bar steward1945
hoor1965
?1518 Cocke Lorelles Bote sig. B.ijv Here is fyrst Cocke Lorell the knyght.
c1545 Doctour Double Ale 390 in W. C. Hazlitt Remains Early Pop. Poetry Eng. (1866) III. 319.
1573 G. Gascoigne Disc. Aduentures Master F. I. in Hundreth Sundrie Flowres 218 A peece of Cockloreus musicke,..such as I might be ashamed to publish in this company.
1577 W. Fulke Confut. Doctr. Purgatory 376 Then you shall not neede to rowe in Cockelaurels bote.
1581 J. Bell tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius 394 This clownish Cocklorrell therefore wandring abroad over hilles and dales.
a1637 B. Jonson Masque of Gypsies 83 in tr. Horace Art of Poetry (1640) Cock-lorrel would needs have the Devill his guest.
B. adj.
Good-for-nothing; = losel adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > worthlessness > [adjective]
forcouthc888
goodlesseOE
undoughtya1225
voidc1380
bare1399
stark naught1528
worthilessa1542
queer1567
worthless1573
hilding1577
baggage1580
arrant1581
offal1588
lorel1590
losel1601
ragamuffin1602
loselled1606
loselly1611
valuelessa1616
ragamuffa1626
good-for-nothing1706
ne'er-do-well1773
rotten1813
neat1824
scamping1832
good-for-naught1835
no good1838
scampish1847
ne'er-do-wellish1890
no good1904
upter1919
never-do-well1933
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > [adjective] > worthless
forcouthc888
worthless1576
hilding1577
baggage1580
lorel1590
losel1601
ragamuffin1602
loselled1606
loselly1611
offala1626
ragamuffa1626
vagabond1630
good-for-nought1663
good-for-nothing1706
ne'er-do-well1773
ragabash1818
neat1824
scamping1832
scampish1847
wutless1853
trashy1862
ne'er-do-wellish1890
suck-egg1892
never-do-well1933
punk-ass1971
1590 T. Lodge Euphues' Golden Legacie (1592) E 2 Ah Lorrell lad, what makes thee Herry loue?
1614 J. Davies in W. Browne Shepheards Pipe sig. G4v An Heydeguies, Pipt by Tom-piper, or a Lorrel-lad.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > [noun]
truandise?c1225
lorelshipc1380
truantry1426
coquineryc1430
loselry1480
loonery?a1513
palliardrya1522
truanting1532
patchingc1535
foul play1546
patchery?1553
slavery1553
palliardy1568
smaikry1573
roguishness1579
rascality1582
roguery1594
scutchery1594
ropery1599
cullionry1611
scoundrelism1611
friponnerie1708
rascalism1837
scoundreldom1837
rascaldom1851
scoundrelship1856
rascalry1868
scallywaggery1897
scallywagism1897
scallywagging1915
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun]
truandise?c1225
lorelshipc1380
truantry1426
coquineryc1430
loselry1480
loonery?a1513
palliardrya1522
truanting1532
patchingc1535
patchery?1553
palliardy1568
roguishness1579
rascality1582
roguery1594
scutchery1594
ropery1599
scoundrelism1611
roguinga1625
friponnerie1708
rascalism1837
scoundreldom1837
scamphood1845
rascaldom1851
scoundrelship1856
rascalry1868
scallywaggery1897
scallywagism1897
scallywagging1915
c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 156 Þei wasten pore mennus liflode in hordom & glotonye & lernen lorelschipe.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.adj.1362