sporting lady
1
9.9
- noun
- NSFW
:
prostituta
- Mizz Addie said twelve's about the limit for a high-class sporting lady, on account of health reasons.
Examples
-
In the novel, the wealthy man is often seen with a sporting lady by his side, attending extravagant parties.
-
The gentleman spoke highly of a sporting lady who had a reputation for her charm and elegance.
-
In that era, a sporting lady was known for entertaining affluent clients with grace and sophistication.
Synonyms
478
9.3
An offensive word for a person who has sex for money
342
4.2
A person who has sex with other people for money
314
9.0
A person who sells sex for money, often on the street
30
9.9
A woman who sells sex for money
25
9.9
A woman who sells sex, often used as an insult
13
9.9
A woman who has sex with rich or powerful men for money, often in high society in the past
8
8.6
A woman who sells sex for money
2
8.6
A woman who sells sex for money
1
9.2
A woman who sells sex for money
1
9.9
A woman who has sex with people for money
A woman who has sex with people for money
A woman who works as a prostitute
A woman who has sex for money and often lives in high society
A woman who has sex for money or who lives on the streets
Surface Forms
Morphology
sporting + lady
Although 'sporting' suggests indulgence in gambling or high pleasure and 'lady' denotes a woman, this combination does not clearly indicate the commercial/transactional sense 'prostitute'. The phrase is archaic and euphemistic, so a B1 learner would at best infer promiscuity or risqué behavior but not necessarily paid sex, making the relation only partially transparent.
Etymology
The old phrase sporting lady may come from the idea of a sporting woman who offered men 'sport', that is, fun or pleasure, at places called 'sporting houses' or saloons. So, the image of a woman working for men's entertainment led the phrase to mean 'a prostitute'.