wench

Everyday

1. (old) A wench was a girl or young woman, especially a servant girl or a country girl. tree →
2. (now insulting) Today the word is old-fashioned and often rude when said to a woman. tree →

In the lessons

Found in old stories, ballads, plays and historical tales: «a serving wench at the inn». It tells the reader the story is set long ago. In The Wind in the Willows and similar books the word belongs to an older, rougher kind of speech. Today you should not call anyone a wench.

Examples

• The serving wench brought ale to the travellers. tree →
• In the old ballad, a country wench milked the cows. tree →
• The pirate shouted for the kitchen wench. tree →
• The play is set in a tavern with a busy wench. tree →
• «Wench» is an old word you meet in historical stories. tree →
• Calling a woman a wench today is rude. tree →
• ‘The cinder wench is not here,’ said the Prince at last; ‘go and fetch her, and let her try on the things.’ tree →

Note

Countable: wenches. Old-fashioned and disrespectful now; use it only when reading or quoting old texts.

Early Modern English

Meaning

A girl or young woman, often a servant or a country girl. tree →

Then and now

Today "wench" is an old word and can sound rude; in these texts it simply means a girl.

Examples

• "Who knows whence the wench comes?" said she. (Grimm's Fairy Stories) tree →
• Thereupon the King’s son recognised the cinder wench; so he took both the girls with him, and set out. (The Red Fairy Book) tree →
• ‘The cinder wench is not here,’ said the Prince at last; ‘go and fetch her, and let her try on the things.’ (The Red Fairy Book) tree →

Note

Today: girl.