malkin

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A slatternly woman: "malkin" refers to a woman who is untidy, dirty, or slovenly in appearance and habits.
    • A scarecrow: "malkin" can mean an object set up to frighten birds away from crops, typically made of rags and sticks.
    • A mop or cleaning implement: "malkin" historically denotes a stick with rags attached, used for cleaning ovens or hearths.
    • A cat or hare: "malkin" is an archaic or dialectal term for a cat or a hare.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The old woman was dismissed as a malkin by the villagers. (A slatternly woman, considered untidy.)
    • Farmers placed a malkin in the field to keep crows away. (A scarecrow used to deter birds.)
    • She scrubbed the oven with a malkin dipped in soap. (A cleaning implement made of rags.)
    • The children chased a malkin through the garden. (An archaic term for a cat or hare.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to be a malkin": to be extremely untidy or dishevelled.
    • After working in the garden all day, she looked like a malkin. (She appeared very messy.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Malkindom (n, rare): the state or condition of being a malkin (slatternly).
    • Her malkindom was a source of gossip among neighbours. (Her untidiness was well-known.)
  • Malkin-like (adj): resembling a malkin; slovenly.
    • His malkin-like appearance embarrassed his family. (He looked very untidy.)
Synonyms
  • Slattern: a woman who is dirty and untidy.
  • Hag: an ugly or frightening old woman (often with connotations of witchcraft).
  • Scarecrow: a figure used to scare birds.
  • Mop: a cleaning tool with a handle and absorbent material.
Related Idioms
  • "Malkin in the field": an expression for something that is only superficially frightening or ineffective.
    • The guard dog was just a malkin in the field — it never bit anyone. (It was a harmless scarecrow-like figure.)
Cultural and Historical Notes
  • Malkin appears in Shakespeare's (Act 2, Scene 1) where it is used as a term of abuse: This reinforces its meaning as a lowly, dirty woman.
  • In folklore, Malkin was also a name for a witch's familiar, often a cat, linking to the term's use for a hare or cat.

Từ chứa "malkin"