Definition

Noun: 1. Obscene or lewd talk or writing: The word "bawdry" refers to language, jokes, or literature that is humorously indecent, dealing with sexual matters in a coarse or vulgar way.

Usage

"Bawdry" is a formal or literary term for what is commonly called "dirty talk" or "smut." It describes content that is sexually explicit and intended to be humorous or shocking, often found in certain types of comedy, historical literature, or private conversation. It typically carries a connotation of being ribald or racy rather than purely pornographic.

Examples

• The critic noted that the play's clever wit was often mixed with crude bawdry.
• He was reprimanded for the constant bawdry in his locker-room stories.
• The collection of medieval poems included both romantic ballads and rustic bawdry.

Advanced Usage

• As a subject of study: In literary analysis, "bawdry" is often examined in the context of satire, social commentary, or the works of authors like Chaucer and Shakespeare, where it serves specific comedic or realistic purposes.

Variants and Related Words

• Bawdy (adjective): Having the qualities of bawdry; humorously indecent.
  • The comedian told a series of bawdy jokes.
• Bawd (noun, archaic): A person who keeps a brothel; a procurer.

Synonyms

• Ribaldry
• Smut
• Lewdness
• Vulgarity
• Obscenity

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

• (To be) full of bawdry: To contain a large amount of lewd content.
  • The old manuscript was full of bawdry, surprising the young scholars.

Noun

1. lewd or obscene talk or writing
   • it was smoking-room bawdry
   • they published a collection of Elizabethan bawdy