Bawdy house
a brothel.
Historical Examples
A more likely cause is the second story in the Letter, the visit to the bawdy house.
A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope Colley Cibber
That a saloon with a sign reading “Family Entrance” on its side door invariably has a bawdy house upstairs.
The American Credo George Jean Nathan
A long-faced virgin trapped in a bawdy house and calling in valiant tones for a glass of lemonade.
Erik Dorn Ben Hecht
A Tobacco shop and a bawdy house are coincident; for smoke is not without fire.
The Works of John Marston John Marston
This means boarding-house life, shocking congestion and a rich harvest for saloon and bawdy house.
The Old World in the New Edward Alsworth Ross
“That was Belle Cora, who keeps that bawdy house up town,” Nesbitt volunteered.
Port O’ Gold Louis John Stellman
Four engravings and at least six pamphlets, all focusing on the bawdy house story, were shortly in circulation.
A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope Colley Cibber
noun
an archaic word for brothel
noun
a brothel, bordello
Examples
First, they had a beer at the bawdy house.
Word Origin
1552
Usage Note
obsolete
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to cry or wail lustily. to utter or proclaim by outcry; shout out: to bawl one’s dissatisfaction; bawling his senseless ditties to the audience. to offer for sale by shouting, as a hawker: a peddler bawling his wares. a loud shout; outcry. a period or spell of loud crying or weeping. Chiefly Midland and Western […]
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to cry or wail lustily. to utter or proclaim by outcry; shout out: to bawl one’s dissatisfaction; bawling his senseless ditties to the audience. to offer for sale by shouting, as a hawker: a peddler bawling his wares. a loud shout; outcry. a period or spell of loud crying or weeping. Chiefly Midland and Western […]
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to cry or wail lustily. to utter or proclaim by outcry; shout out: to bawl one’s dissatisfaction; bawling his senseless ditties to the audience. to offer for sale by shouting, as a hawker: a peddler bawling his wares. a loud shout; outcry. a period or spell of loud crying or weeping. Chiefly Midland and Western […]