or parnel or pernel, subs. (old).—An immodest woman; a prostitute: see TART.—BAILEY (1728); GROSE (1785).

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  1362.  LANGLAND, Piers Plowman’s Vision, 2313.

          Til PARNELLS purfille
Be put in hire hucche.
    Ibid., 2790.
Dame PERNELE a priestes fyle.

2

  1560.  PILKINGTON, Works [Parker Society], 56. But these tender PERNELS must have one gown for the day, another for the night.

3

  1560.  T. BECON, Prayers and Other Pieces (1844), 267. Pretty PARNEL [= a nickname for a priest’s mistress].

4