Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. constr. with of plus a n., whether lit. (e.g. whores) or fig. (e.g. partridges); a group or collection of prostitutes, usu. as found in a brothel.

1589		Lyly Pappe with an Hatchet E2: There is not a better Spanniell in England to spring a couie of queanes than Martin.
1608		Merry Devil of Edmonton V ii: Knights if I had knowne you would haue let this couy of Partridges sit thus long vpon their knees vnder my signe post, I would have spred my dore with old Couerlids.
c.1642		T. Killigrew Parson’s Wedding (1664) II vii: When a stranger comes in, and spies a Covey of Beauties would make a Faulconer unhood, before he can draw his Leash he is warn’d that’s a markt Partridge.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Covey of Whores, a well fill’d Bawdy-house.
1700		N. Ward Rambling Rakes 8: Up starts a whole Covy of Whores, with their Cully Part’ners, placing themselves to Dance.
1702		Farquhar Twin-Rivals I i: Have not I known you, sir, throw away ten pound of a night upon a covey of pit-partridges, and a setting dog?
a.1728		Trip through London 14: She could boast of as fine a Covey of sound, plump and juicy Sluts in her House, as any Gentlewoman in London, and had kept Eighteen of as good Feather-Beds going, as a Brace of Fornicators need desire to regale their Limbs upon.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1749		Hist. of the Human Heart 123: [At] a noted Bagnio [...] they met with a Covey of Town Partridges, which Camillo liked better than all he had ever drawn a Net over in the Country, and amongst them Miss M– the famous Posture Girl.
1772		G. Stevens ‘The Sentiment Song’ Songs Comic and Satyrical 124: Ye Fowlers who eager at Partridges aim, / Don’t mark the maim’d Covey, but mind better Game; / ’Tis Beauty’s the Sport to repay Sportsmen’s trouble, / And there may our Pointers stand stiff in the Stubble.
1785		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Covey a collection of whores. What a fine covey here is, if the devil would but throw his net.
1797		M. Leeson Memoirs (1995) III 146: Nor could any lady of the town cut a genteeler figure than Mrs Brooks, or shew a finer covey of birds.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue [as cit. 1785].

2. a group of attractive young women.

1843

T. Haliburton Sam Slick in England II 127: The next time, I seed jist such another covey of partridges, same plumage, same step, and same breed.