Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also frail fair, frail one) a prostitute, a mistress, also as adj.

1795		Fortnights Ramble through London 52: [I] began to think she was one of the frail fair-ones whom I had observed in the streets.
1826		C.M. Westmacott Eng. Spy II 21: It would be an intricate task to unravel the family web of our fashionable frail ones, although that of many frail fashionables stands high in heraldry.
1837		W. Kidd London and all its Dangers 33: Married Frail-Ones [...] there is, comparatively more vice among married females, in all classes, than among those unfortunate beings who are compelled to get their living by so horrible a profession, as prostitution.
1842		Whip 15 Oct. n.p.: We saw a young man who works in our office deep in conversation with a frail one.
1842		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 14 May n.p.: [headline] The Frail Fair and their Equipages at the Races.
1842		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 3 Sept. n.p.: A fair and beautiful, but now frail girl.
1842		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 17 Sept. n.p.: These ‘worthies’ are familiarly known by most of the ‘frail ones’ in [...] Philadelphia .
1846		New Swell’s Night Guide to the Bowers of Venus 26: Miss King [...] The above frail, receives visits more than seeking them.
1849		Sam Sly 27 Jan. 2/1: We advise Mr. Charles Cl—k [...] to save the money he gives the frail fair ones, as he will require all he can spend at his bridal.
c.1850		Peeping Tom (London) 1 4/3: Our liberality extends to the fair sex, and the saintly virtuous and unreflecting frail may alike command our attention.
1854		Soulé, Gihon & Nisbet Annals of S.F. 384: The gamblers, the frail nymphs, and the yellow loafer class are continually loitering about the streets.
1855		Bell’s Life in Sydney 7 Apr. 22/7: Having suffered the frail one to robe, he took her to the watch-house for robbery.
1857		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 11 Apr. n.p.: The frail girls of the metropolis.
1859		Wkly Varieties (Boston, MA) 3 Sept. 5/1: Large number of the ‘fair but frail daughters of Eve’.
1861		N.E. Police Gaz. (Boston, MA) 12 Oct. 8/4: Let me give you the names of some of the fast and frail ones that attended the [...] Ball .
1882		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 1 Apr. 7/4: A Toronto ‘sucker’ of the most gigantic proportions was the father of a frail woman’s Infant, or she said he was.
1888–94		‘Walter’ My Secret Life (1966) XI 2200: Few people were in London. Most frail ladies who could not afford to leave were in town.
1916		H.N. Cary Sl. of Venery.
1930		G. Milburn ‘Toledo Slim’ in Hobo’s Hornbook 193: A dead swell frail came in the place and sat beside me.
1986–7		Maledicta IX 148: The compilers ought to have looked farther afield and found: […] frail.
2001		(con. late 19C) C. Jeffords Shady Ladies of the Old West 🌐 The euphemisms for prostitution were many [...] ‘the fair and frail,’ ‘ladies of the line,’ and ‘sporting women,’ besides ‘soiled doves.’.

2. (orig. US, also phrail) a girl, a woman; also attrib.

1900		A.H. Lewis ‘Mulberry Mary’ in Sandburrs 11: She d’ soonest frail that ever walks in d’ Bend.
1908		H. Green Maison De Shine 50: Aw, the frails is all the same.
1915		G. Bronson-Howard God’s Man 278: Why do these frails fall for such a louse?
1920		A. Baer Two & Three 29 Apr. [synd. col.] There is no frail candidate [...] this year, but the flappers are sure to control the White House.
1924		H.L. Wilson Professor How Could You! 312: I fell in with the frail that runs a meat joint and she told me all about our doings.
1929		A.T. Rogers ‘Casual Observer’ in Charlotte Obs. (NC) 24 Feb. sect. 3 8/7: Phrails who go through the fun-shows [...] just to have the air-blowers hoist their skirts...Phrails who wear bloomers to the fun-shows...Phrails who don’t.
1931		Cab Calloway ‘Minnie the Moocher’ 🎵 She was the roughest, toughest frail.
1944		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 22 jan. 10: [He] has everything under control, plus all the fine frail action.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 85: He’d bump against some pretty young frail with his rear end and send her flying.
1952		Lait & Mortimer USA Confidential 38: From the new freedom for frails have come vital economic and social readjustments.
1955		B. Hill Boss of Britain’s Underworld 61: The frail was left standing in the shop wondering what it was all about.
1960		E. De Roo Big Rumble 59: ‘I guess I was thinking about someone else.’ ‘I guess you were. [...] I hope it’s not another frail.’.
1971		R.D. Pharr S.R.O. (1998) 162: This little frail seemed to be unable to keep her eyes off me.
1979		H.C. Collins Street Gangs 223: Frail Girl.
1988		(con. 1930s) C.E. Lincoln The Avenue, Clayton City (1996) 9: Every time some frail shakes her drawers in your face, you sniff like a hound-dog.
2001		(con. late 19C) C. Jeffords Shady Ladies of the Old West 🌐 In the Kansas trail towns common terms [for whores] included [...] ‘fallen frails’.
2004		E. Weiner Drop Dead, My Lovely (2005) 12: I’d be involved in this case of the dead frail at the Hotel Urbane.

3. (US prison) a passive partner in a lesbian relationship.

1958

Kosofsky & Ellis ‘Illegal Communication Among Institutionalized Female Delinquents’ in Journal of Social Psychology Aug. 157: The father is very frequently known as ‘a stud.’ The mother frequently is known as a ‘frail’.