nymph of the pavé

English

Alternative forms

• nymph of the pave
• nymph of the pavement

Noun

nymph of the pavé (plural nymphs of the pavé)

1. (obsolete) A female prostitute.
   • 1842 Nov, “The Hunchback”, in The Southern Literary Messenger:

     Having made the discovery with about the same attention to secresy, that a nymph of the pavé uses with her lovers, or the boatswain when he pipes to grog, […] Mike O'Grady and his associate returned with merry faces to head-quarters, and reported a surprise of the enemy's camp very practicable.

   • 1864, James Paterson, Reminiscences of "Auld Ayr.", Edinburgh, page 23:

     Though, on the whole, a moral, quiet place – there being only two houses of ill-fame on both sides of the river, and not a "nymph of the pave" to be seen anywhere – yet during the long dark nights of winter, considerable mischief used to be committed by the more reckless of the young […]

Synonyms

• (prostitute): nymph of darkness