Forms: α. 4 trate, 4–6 trat, tratte; β. 6 trott, trotte, trote, (8 trout), 6– trot. [AF. trote occurs twice in Gower’s French Mirour de l’Omme, ll. 8713 and 17900 (‘la viele trote q’est jolie’), but the ME. instances have all trat(e, tratte, and the word has not been found in Continental French either as trote or tratte, so that the derivation is uncertain. It can hardly be connected with TROT sb.1, or with OF. baudetrot, BAWDSTROT.] An old woman; usually disparaging: an old beldame, a hag.
α. c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 4769. Þat þo tvo trattes þat William wold haue traysted.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1370. Þan ful doun þat olde trate in-to þe salte see.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xvi. 394. Gett out of thise wonys! ye trattys, all at onys.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. xi. 114. Thus said Dido; and the tother, with that, Hichit on furth with slaw pase lyke ane trat.
1570. Levins, Manip., 37/14. A tratte, anus.
β. 1530. Palsgr., 642/1. Se yonder olde trot howe she mumbleth, auisez ceste vielle [etc.].
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., I. ii. 79. Marrie him to a Puppet or an Aglet babie, or an old trot with ne’re a tooth in her head.
1598. Drayton, Heroic. Ep., xiii. 105. And call me, Beldam, Gib, Witch, Night-mare, Trot, With all despight that may a Woman spot.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 78. An old Irot (that boasted of her Giftishnesse in Waterology).
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, V. 74. You are … A fulsome Trot and good for nought.
a. 1845. Hood, Forget-me-nots, ii. Some strange, neglectful, gossiping old Trot.
1906. E. V. Lucas, Listener’s Lure (1910), 282. Miss Graham got an old trot after a good deal of messing about.
