cover-slut

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See also: coverslut

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From cover +‎ slut (slovenly, untidy person).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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cover-slut (plural cover-sluts)

  1. (obsolete) An apron or pinafore, worn to hide slovenliness (such as dirt, stains, or tears) in the clothing beneath.
    • 1678, John Phillips, “Book V”, in Maronides, or, Virgil Travesty, page 15:
      Nor let your women there appear / With dirty ſmock-ſleeves, foul head-geare, / With Cover-ſlut from Neck to Toe, / As Maids to morning Lectures go.
    • 1846, Samuel Carter Hall, Ann Kent Hall, “Kildare”, in Ireland: Its Scenery, Character &c.[1], volume 2, footnote, page 272:
      The Irish cloak forms very graceful drapery; the material falls well, and folds well. It is usually large enough to envelop the whole person; and the hood is frequently drawn forward to shield the face of the wearer from sun, rain, or wind. Yet we would fain see its general use dispensed with. A female in the lower ranks of life cares but little for the other portions of her dress if she has "a good cloak;" and certainly her ordinary appearance would be more thought of, if the huge "cover-slut" were not always at hand to hide dilapidations in her other garments.
    • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:cover-slut.
  2. (obsolete, by extension, figurative) Any surface appearance hiding something underneath.
    • 1690, John Wilson, Belphegor, act 2, scene 3; republished in The Dramatic Works of John Wilson[2], Edinburgh: William Paterson, 1874, page 320:
      Fie, madam, you'll ruin the sex! Husband, say ye? A mere thing—a cover-slut of custom!
    • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:cover-slut.
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Descendants

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  • Krio: kabaslot (loose-fitting dress)

Anagrams

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