Dictionary

ogress en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈəʊɡɹɛs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US)
• (US)
• /ˈoʊɡɹɛs/ (US)

Etymology

Borrowed in the early 1700s from French ogresse, equivalent to ogre + -ess. Piecewise doublet of orcess.

Meanings

1. A female ogre.
   • Dear me, Mimsey!. . . you are perfectly outrageous! Do you think I'm an ogress ready to eat her up? On the contrary, I mean to be a friend to her. 1887, Marie Corelli, Thelma:
   • This ogress too was begotten of the blood of Cain, whose brood had been doomed forever to the icy floods and freezing waters of the earth. 1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 33:
   • And in the seventh tale of the third day of the same collection, when Corvetto had hidden himself under the Ogre's bed to steal his quilt, "he began to pull quite gently, when the Ogre awoke, and bid his wife not to pull the clothes that way, or she'd strip him, and he would get his death of cold." "Why, it's you that are stripping me," replied the Ogress, "and you have not left a stitch on me." "Where the devil is the quilt?" says the Ogre[.] 1828, Thomas Keightley, Fairy Mythology, volume II, page 237:
2. A fierce, unfriendly woman.
   • I remember being the fall guy for the family, having to take the rent down to the ogress of a landlady so that my parents wouldn't have to face her. 1977 December 3, John Mitzel, quoting Harry Allard, “Harry Allard: A Teller of Children's Stories Talks About His Life”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 22, page 8:

Forms

Relateds

trollette · orcess · trolless · goblette

Translations (17)

cmn 女食人妖怪 (female ogre) · he אוֹגֶרֶת (female ogre) · es orca (female ogre) · fr ogresse (female ogre) · ml രാക്ഷസി (female ogre) · ja 鬼女 (female ogre) · nb flagd (female ogre) · mr दानवी (female ogre) · ru зла́я ба́ба (fierce, unfriendly woman) · mr राक्षसीण (female ogre) · non flagð (female ogre) · mr राक्षसी (female ogre) · cmn 女吃人魔 (female ogre) · ca ogressa (female ogre) · it orchessa (female ogre) · non gýgr (female ogre) · eo ogrino (female ogre)

ogress en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈəʊɡɹɛs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US)
• (US)
• /ˈoʊɡɹɛs/ (US)

Etymology

Uncertain. Attested in this form since 1572. The French term ogoesse is only attested later (1611 in an English dictionary, 1690 in a French dictionary) and may be derived from English. The 1486 Book of Coat Armour in the Book of St. Albans says "gonestonys" are called "oglys" in heraldic blazon; perhaps someone in the 1500s misread ogles as ogres(s) and mistook the plural for a singular, compare the use of pommeis (“roundel(s) vert”) as a singular. The form agresses is found in some 18th century works, alongside ogresses.

Meanings

1. A roundel sable.
   • Beareth Verte, fiue Fermaulxz in Crosse D'Or, a Border d'Argent, charged with eight Ogresses: or, after the French blazon, 'Ogressée de huit pieces'. 1572, John Bossewell, Workes of Armorie, II, 37b:

Forms

Synonyms

gunstone (roundel sable) · pellet (roundel sable)