cradle n.
the vagina.
Ænigmatical Repository 31: ’Tis better to employ one plough, / Than cradles two you’ll find. | ||
Sl. and Its Analogues. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
1. (orig. US, also cradle emptier, cradle pirate) one who pursues lovers who are younger than themselves, thus v. rob a cradle.
Ward Co. Indep. (ND) 23 Mar. 1/3: Brauns is accused of being a cradle robber. | ||
Custer Co. Republican (NE) 12 Nov. 7/6: There’ll be a lot of debutantes there. What do you want to go, you cradle robber? | ||
Sport (Adelaide) 13 Nov. 5/5: Les. B. has been robbing cradles again as he was seen nursing I.C. [...] at the back of the shop. | ||
Hawaiian Gaz. (Honolulu, HI) 26 Nov. 4/5: Levy retorted that Bohnstein was a cradle robber and a number of other uncomplimentary things. | ||
Main Street (1921) 389: Darned if this bunch of cradle-robbers didn’t get hold of some young kids. | ||
Jarnegan (1928) 252: You’re the guy that raped Daisy Carol [...] you lousy cradle robber. | ||
Afro-American (Baltimore, MD) 18 May 5/1: Because of his new romance, they are calling what man-about-town ‘Cradle Emptier’? | ||
Afro-American (Baltimore, MD) 2 Mar. 15/1: By the way, Art is a cradle pirate too. | ‘The Whirling Hub’ in||
Argot: Dict. of Und. Sl. | ||
5000 Adult Sex Words and Phrases. | ||
Hot to Trot 99: I’m no cradle robber. | ||
Turning Angel 93: Fucking cradle-robber. Pervert. |
2. (US) one who exploits children for their labour (or poss. sex).
Day Book (Chicago) 7 Jan. 10/1: As a cradle-robber Heinman tops the record for Illinois. He works 403 girls betweedn 14 and 16 years of age. |
3. (US) a child-molester; thus cradle-robbing adj.
Maledicta III:2 221: No gay, not even my expert who described himself as frankly a baby-snatching, cradle-robbing, DOM (dirty old man) would use or necessarily know all these words. |
(orig. US) an older person, in modern use usu. a woman but also of gay men, who prefers affairs with people substantially younger than they are; thus cradle-snatching n.
Cave Man 314: Some men are never too old. What is that they call them – cradle snatchers? | ||
Valley of the Moon (1914) 56: ‘Cradle-snatcher’ was the final sting that sent the angry blood into Saxon’s cheeks. | ||
Sport (Adelaide) 17 July 4/2: When Knocker wants a tart he goes around to cradles looking for one. Look out, Knocker, that you don’t be had up for cradle snatching . | ||
Wise-crack Dict. 6/1: Cradle snatcher – Person who prefers a younger companion. | ||
Nottingham Eve. Post 12 July 3/2: The spinster who has selected a very young man as her husband has been called a ‘cradle-snatcher’. | ||
Portsmouth Eve. News 6 May 8/2: ‘They call me cradle snatcher,’ said Susan bitterly. ‘They’re spoiling my life with their horrible tongues and sneers. What does it matter if Jimmy is a few years younger than I am?’. | ||
Battlers 92: Had you taxed him with wanting to make an impression, the busker would have replied with cold scorn that he was no ‘cradle-snatcher’, and that he liked a girl with a bit of life. | ||
(con. 1920s–30s) Youngblood (1956) 432: I ain’t in the cradle-snatching business yet. Mama ain’t that hard up awhile. | ||
Gidget (2001) 32: Olé Cradlesnatcher! | ||
Bobbin Up (1961) 58: Hope you know what you’re doin’. Not cradle-snatchin’ are you? | ||
5000 Adult Sex Words and Phrases. | ||
Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 148: ‘Cradle snatcher,’ snarled Glenys. | ||
What Do You Reckon (1997) [ebook] I don’t mind cradle-snatching to a certain extent but [...] I was old enough to be this girl’s uncle. | ‘A Week’s a Long Time’ in||
Lockie Leonard: Scumbuster (1995) 83: He was a cradle-snatcher. He had the hots for a kid in primary school. | ||
Gayle 63/2: cradle snatcher n. someone who dates a man much younger than himself (also: cradle snatching) [American Gayspeak]. | ||
(con. 1980s) Skagboys 167: Cradle-snatching Sick Boy [...] wi that perr wee Maria lassie in tow. She’s a bit young fir him. | ||
Decent Ride 30: Fae the wine bars tae the bingo halls, cradle-snatchin (turn ay phrase, legal limits, like) tae amublance-chasin. |
(UK Und.) a gibbet.
New and Improved Flash Dict. n.p.: Cradle-vanneck a gibbet. [Ibid.] n.p.: Cradle-vannecked gibbetted in irons. |