street-walk
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (intransitive):
- To walk along public streets, especially in a persistent or conspicuous manner, typically with the intent of soliciting customers for commercial sex work.
Usage
- This verb specifically describes the action of a person, historically and most commonly a sex worker, patrolling or walking through streets to find clients.
- It is a compound verb formed from "street" + "walk". The core action is "walking," but the specific context of "on the street" for the purpose of solicitation is integral to its meaning.
- Note on Usage: The term is very specific and carries strong connotations related to prostitution. It is not a general term for walking on a street.
Examples
- Verb:
- In the 19th-century novel, a character was forced to street-walk to survive.
- The police crackdown aimed to deter individuals from street-walking in the downtown area.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in sociological, legal, and historical contexts to describe a specific form of sex work.
- It can sometimes be used metaphorically or critically to describe other types of persistent public solicitation, though this is less common.
- Politicians accused their opponents of street-walking for votes, making empty promises on every corner.
Variants and Related Words
- Streetwalker (noun): A person, typically a prostitute, who solicits clients on the street.
- The documentary interviewed former streetwalkers about their experiences.
- Solicit (verb): To ask for or try to obtain something from someone. A more general term that can cover the action of a streetwalker.
Synonyms
- Solicit (on the street)
- Patrol (the streets) (in this specific context)
Related Phrases
- To walk the streets: This phrase can have the same specific meaning as "to street-walk" but can also be used more generally to mean simply being out on the streets.
- Specific meaning: She was arrested for walking the streets.
- General meaning: After the concert, we walked the streets looking for a taxi.
Verb
- walk the streets in search of customers
- The prostitute is street-walking every night