scarlet fever en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
(attraction to soldiers): In allusion to the red coats they used to wear.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A streptococcal infection, mainly occurring among children, and characterized by a red skin rash, sore throat and fever.
"I am sure," replied Mrs. Palmer, "if it were not wicked, I should be glad that you had the scarlet fever; I am so much happier since I knew you...
1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter V, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 54:
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(UK, obsolete, slang, uncountable) Romantic attraction to soldiers in preference to other people.
Soldiers are notorious for hunting up these women, especially nurse-maids and those that in the execution of their duty walk in the Parks, when they may easily be accosted. Nurse-maids feel flattered by the attention that is lavished upon them, and are always ready to succumb to the “scarlet fever.” A red coat is all powerful with this class, who prefer a soldier to a servant, or any other description of man they come in contact with.
1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, published 1861:According to Henry Mayhew, it was here that housemaids and nursemaids walking in the park to and from their place of work often first encountered “the all powerful red coat” and “succumbed to Scarlet Fever.” Soldiers were by no means unaware of the impact their dashing uniforms and well-groomed military air could have on young women, and deployed these features to their advantage.
2019, Hallie Rubenhold, The Five, page 79:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| scarlet fevers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
miniature scarlet fever · scarlet fever erythrogenic toxin
Synonyms
Translations (42)
hy քութեշ (streptococcal infection) · is skarlatssótt (streptococcal infection) · nl roodvonk (streptococcal infection) · cmn 猩紅熱 /猩红热 (streptococcal infection) · pl płonica (streptococcal infection) · ckb سوورەتا (streptococcal infection) · tk täjihoraz (streptococcal infection) · ja 猩紅熱 (streptococcal infection) · km អុតក្ដាម (streptococcal infection) · de Scharlach (streptococcal infection) · kmr soreta (streptococcal infection) · sk šarlach (streptococcal infection) · fr scarlatine (streptococcal infection) · sq skarlatinë (streptococcal infection) · fi tulirokko (streptococcal infection) · el οστρακιά (streptococcal infection) · cy y dwymyn goch (streptococcal infection) · lt skarlatina (streptococcal infection) · uk скарлати́на (streptococcal infection) · ca escarlatina (streptococcal infection) · nb skarlagensfeber (streptococcal infection) · pt escarlatina (streptococcal infection) · hu vörheny (streptococcal infection) · el σκαρλατίνα (streptococcal infection) · eo skarlatino (streptococcal infection) · tr kızıl (streptococcal infection) · hu skarlát (streptococcal infection) · ro scarlatină (streptococcal infection) · bg скарлати́на (streptococcal infection) · et sarlakid (streptococcal infection) · nrf fièvre êcarlate (streptococcal infection) · ru скарлати́на (streptococcal infection) · nn skarlaksfeber (streptococcal infection) · ga fiabhras dearg (streptococcal infection) · it scarlattina (streptococcal infection) · cs spála (streptococcal infection) · pl szkarlatyna (streptococcal infection) · gd fiabhras-dearg (streptococcal infection) · az skarlatin (streptococcal infection) · es escarlatina (streptococcal infection) · sv scharlakansfeber (streptococcal infection) · ka ქუნთრუშა (streptococcal infection)