whip-arse en · NOUN · etymology 1
Etymology
From whip + arse. Possibly a calque of French fouette-cul, from fouetter (“to whip”) + cul (“arse”).
Meanings
-
(obsolete) A schoolmaster.
Feſſe-cul. A Pedanticall whip-arſe.
1611, Randle Cotgrave, A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, page FES-FES:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| whip-arses | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| whip arse | alternative | lexicographic |