sportswomann.

1705 Way to be Wiser 7 Venture half a Crown upon his Head, like a bold Gamster, and match your Cock with the next fair Sports-Woman you meet.

1816 Sporting Mag. 48 161 A great bustle..has been made by the police among the sportswomen of the lowest rank.

1724 Love upon Tick xxix. 98 He by this Time appear'd so contemptible..that she who had hitherto persecuted him, now, like a true Sportswoman, began to despise a Diversion which was attended with so little Labour and Difficulty.

1906 R. Kipling Puck of Pook's Hill 148 She'd say she'd get us whipped. She never did, though... Aglaia was a thorough sportswoman.

1925 F. S. Fitzgerald Great Gatsby iv. 86 Miss Baker's a great sportswoman... She'd never do anything that wasn't all right.

1948 F. Thompson Still glides Stream ii. 42 If I can't bear a bit of pain at my time of life I'm no sportswoman.

1988 K. E. McCrone Playing Game ix. 250 She constantly stressed that dignity, grace, moderation and the avoidance of exhibitionism were essential in the true sportswoman.

1754 J. Shebbeare Marriage Act II. lxiv. 232 My good Dame is a very unfair Sportswoman. She is for running the Hare which has given us so much Pleasure quite down.

1796 Sporting Mag. 7 288 The celebrated Miss Barlow, well known as an accomplished sportswoman.

1810 Lady Lyttelton Corr. (1912) iv. 93 I used to hate hunting talk; but..I grew a complete sport's-woman in theory before we left the country.

1841 Hull Packet 29 Jan. 5/4 Another fair sportswoman was observed to take her fowling-piece, and level it at a flock of wild ducks.

1865 Sat. Rev. 11 Mar. 281/2 A quarry worthy of the aim of an ambitious sportswoman.

1896 Catholic News 9 May 15/3 The dashing sportswoman who used to hunt like a man.

1932 A. Bott & I. C. Bott Our Mothers iv. 106 A certain rivalry arose between neighbouring houses in the provision of refreshments for the assembled sportsmen and sportswomen before they set out on their arduous day.

2007 E. Griffin Blood Sport vi. 87 Elizabeth was a keen sportswoman, diligently maintaining her own forests.

1900 Badminton Mag. Jan. 116 Every sportsman or sportswoman, and indeed, every boy or girl, who possesses a camera has a chance of gaining a prize.

1928 Daily Express 23 Feb. 6 Letitia Pilkington..was a sportswoman. She even chipped her confessor on her deathbed.

1954 Househ. Guide & Almanac (News of World) 313/2 There is usually a well-equipped gymnasium, plenty of table-tennis and billiard and snooker tables: in fact, everything that the ardent sportsman or sportswoman might require.

1993 Sports Illustr. 14 June 5/1 While many stars of tender years would..blaze briefly, then burn out with humbling speed, this wunderkind would go on to become one of the most accomplished sportswomen ever.

2001 J. Škvorecký Two Murders in my Double Life vi. 55 She walked erect, to show off the perfect shape of her sportswoman's body.