A Dictionary of the English Language
                        A Digital Edition of the 1755 Classic by Samuel Johnson
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Quean

View Scan · View Transcription · from Page 1619

View Scan · View Transcription · from Page 1619

Quean. n.s. [cwean, Saxon, a barren cow; þorcwen, in the laws of Canute, a strumpet.] A worthless woman, generally a strumpet.

As fit as the nail to his hole, or as a scolding quean to a wrangling knave. Shakesp.

This well they understand like cunning queans,
And hide their nastiness behind the scenes. Dryden.

Such is that sprinkling, which some careless quean
Flirts on you from her mop. Swift.

Sources: Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well (19) · Dryden, John (563) · Swift, Jonathan (222)

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Cite this page: Johnson, Samuel. "Quean." A Dictionary of the English Language: A Digital Edition of the 1755 Classic by Samuel Johnson. Last modified: December 10, 2011. http://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/?p=8547.

Comments (2) submit to reddit


  1. Johnson writes, correctly, “barren” and not “barron”

    2. Iain Stewart on December 10th, 2011 at 5:00 pm

  2. Fixed. Thanks.

    3. Brandi on December 10th, 2011 at 5:37 pm

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