puzzle n.1
a prostitute.
Anatomie of Abuses 41: Yee shall not haue any gentlewoman almost, no nor yet any droye or pussle in the countrey, but they will carye in their hande nosegayes and posies. | ||
Henry VI Pt 1 I iv: Pucelle or puzzel, dolphin or dogfish, / Your hearts I’ll stamp out with my horse’s heels. | ||
(trans.) Apol. Herodotus 98: Some filthy queans, especially our puzzles of Paris [N]. | ||
Ductor in Linguas n.p.: A Pusle, trull, or stinking wench. | ||
Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: A dirty Quean, a very Puzzel or Slut. | ||
View of London & Westminster (2nd part) 51: [in a list of prostitutes] Miss Puzzle [Is Visited] By a Nobleman’s Steward. | ||
Prisoners Opera 18: Such a scolding Puzzle. |
In phrases
a slatternly woman.
Dict. Canting Crew. | ||
, , | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. | |
Lex. Balatronicum. |