skainsmate en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology and meaning uncertain. Possibly from skean (“sword”) or skein (“quantity of thread”) + -s- + mate (“companion; comrade; colleague”). * Sword could imply a companion in arms or a cutthroat; or it may be a euphemism for penis and hence a sexual companion. * Thread could also mean either a companion in winding thread, possibly a sailor or seamstress, or a sexual metaphor equating sewing with sexual intercourse. Flirt-gill (“promiscuous woman”) in the same passage suggests a sexual interpretation.
Meanings
- (derogatory, nonce-word, obsolete) A messmate; a companion.
- (derogatory, nonce-word, obsolete) A prostitute.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| skainsmates | Number=Plur | lexicographic |