Hypertext Webster Gateway: "wench"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Wench \Wench\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Wenched}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Wenching}.]
To frequent the company of wenches, or women of ill fame.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Wench \Wench\, n. [OE. wenche, for older wenchel a child,
originally, weak, tottering; cf. AS. wencle a maid, a
daughter, wencel a pupil, orphan, wincel, winclu, children,
offspring, wencel weak, wancol unstable, OHG. wanchol;
perhaps akin to E. wink. See {Wink}.]
1. A young woman; a girl; a maiden. --Shak.
Lord and lady, groom and wench. --Chaucer.
That they may send again My most sweet wench, and
gifts to boot. --Chapman.
He was received by the daughter of the house, a
pretty, buxom, blue-eyed little wench. --W. Black.
2. A low, vicious young woman; a drab; a strumpet.
She shall be called his wench or his leman.
--Chaucer.
It is not a digression to talk of bawds in a
discourse upon wenches. --Spectator.
3. A colored woman; a negress. [U. S.]
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
wench
n : informal terms for a (young) woman [syn: {dame}, {doll}, {skirt},
{chick}, {bird}]
v : frequent prostitutes
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