Guido x 2

[Mark Mandel]

IMHO, euphemism. It has evolved somewhat, but not that far. OED's relevant
def., with cites from the first to the time of yours.

    1. a. Originally: a person who arranges opportunities for (illicit)
sexual intercourse; a procurer. Now: a man who takes a proportion of the
earnings of a prostitute, usually in return for arranging clients, providing
protection, etc.

1600 B. JONSON Euery Man out of his Humor III. i. sig. Iiiv, Punt. What is
he for a Creature? Car. A Pimpe, a Pimpe, that I haue obseru'd yonder, the
rarest Superficies of a Humor.
1666 S. PEPYS Diary 10 June (1972) VII. 159 The Duke of York is wholly given
up to his new mistress... Mr. Brouncker it seems was the pimp to bring it
about.
1711 R. STEELE Spectator No. 51. {page}6 He has been used as a Pimp to
ravishing Tyrants, or successful Rakes.
1780 W. COWPER Progress of Error 326 Ye pimps..Who fasten without mercy on
the fair, And suck, and leave a crawling maggot there.
1825 Mariners' Mag. 17 Sept. 226 The moment a vessel lands, these landlords
and their pimps stand ready to conduct the sailors where the greatest
inducements to debauchery and intemperance exist.
1871 B. TAYLOR tr. Goethe Faust (1875) I. xi. 135 A fitter woman ne'er was
made To ply the pimp and gypsey trade.
[...]

What's GB?

m a m


On Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 4:08 PM, Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at gmail.com>wrote:

>
> Now, for "pimp": did the term evolve over the tears? An 1874 dictionary
> on GB lists pimp (n.) as "a man who provides gratification for the lust
> of others". Is this a euphemism or did the meaning really change?
>
>     VS-)
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org