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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin and Etymology of the word
QUEAN.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893. |
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QUEAN,
a contemptible woman, a hussy. (E.) In Shak. Merry Wives, iv.
2. 180. Absolutely the same word as queen; the orig. sense
being 'woman.' The difference in spelling is unoriginal, but may
have marked some variation of pronunciation. The best passage to
illustrate this word is in P. Plowman, C. ix. 46, where the author says that in
the grave all are alike; you cannot there tell a knight from a knave, or a queen
from a quean. The MSS. have queyne, queene, quene, in
the former case, and queene, quene, in the latter; i.e. they make no
distinction, none being possible. See Queen.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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