cot-quean

See also: cotquean

English

Etymology

cot +‎ quean; see cot (“cottage”).

Noun

cot-quean (plural cot-queans)

  1. (obsolete, derogatory) A man who performs tasks that traditionally belong to a woman; an effeminate man.
    • c. 1591–1595, Shakespeare, William, Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 4:
      Go, you cot-quean, go. / Get you to bed!
    • 1716 April 30, Addison, Joseph, No. 38‎, 'The Freeholder', quoted in 'The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison', published 1804, page 378, volume 4:
      A stateswoman is as ridiculous a creature as a cot-quean. Each of the sexes should keep within its particular bounds, and content themselves to excel within their respective districts.
  2. (obsolete, derogatory) A female cuckold; a cuckquean.
    • 1601, Jonson, Ben, Poetaster, Act 4, Scene 4:
      What, shall a husband be afraid of his wife's face? Will she paint it so horribly? We are a king, cotquean, and we will reign in our pleasures, and we will cudgel thee to death if thou find fault with us.

Synonyms

Hyponyms
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.