subs. (old).—1. ‘A lusty, coarse Ramp or Tomrig’ (B. E. and GROSE); a hedge-whore: also (2) a generic reproach: of women. Whence TROLLOPING (TROLLOPISH or TROLLOPY) = wanton, filthy, draggletail. As verb (or TO TROLLOP ABOUT) = to gad about: spec. (modern) = to quest for men. Also TROLLOPEE = a loose dress for women: cf. LOOSE-BODIED.
1641. MILTON, An Apology for Smectymnuus, vi. Does it not argue rather the lascivious promptnesse of his own fancy, who from the harmelesse mention of a Sleekstone could neigh out the remembrance of his old conversation among the Viraginian TROLLOPS?
1675. COTTON, Burlesque upon Burlesque: or, The Scoffer Scofft (1725), 187.
| Had either so much Grace or Wit, | |
| Manners, or Shame, or all together, | |
| As not to bring thy TROLLOPS hither. |
d. 1704. T. BROWN, Works, ii. 273. I tell thee, thou insignificant north-country TROLLOP … that one soldier is better than a thousand … stiff-rump’d parsons.
1706. VANBRUGH, The Mistake, i.
| We are no fools, TROLLOP, my master, nor me; | |
| And thy mistress may go—to the devil with thee. |
1754. LADY M. W. MONTAGU, Letter to the Countess of Bute, 28 June. Yet the virtuous virgin resolves to run away with him, to live among the banditti, and wait upon his TROLLOP, if she had no other way of enjoying his company.
1759. GOLDSMITH, The Bee, No. 2, 13 Oct., ‘On Dress.’ There goes Mrs. Roundabout,—I mean the fat lady in the lutestring TROLLOPEE.
1771. SMOLLETT, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1900), i. 91. To take up with a dirty TROLLEP under my nose…. I ketched him in the very fact, coming out of the housemaid’s garret.
1814. AUSTEN, Mansfield Park, xxxvii. A TROLLOPY-looking maid-servant, seemingly in waiting for them at the door, stepped forward.
1816. SCOTT, The Antiquary, i. Yes, you abominable woman … all will see the like of it that have anything to do with your TROLLOPING sex.
