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drab

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A slovenly woman; a harlot or prostitute—historically derogatory, appearing in moralizing or satirical poetic contexts.

Detailed Definition
“Drab” degrades through gendered insult, common in satirical or moralizing verse. It contrasts with idealized femininity, marking sexual or social transgression. The term’s blunt sound reinforces contempt, though later reclaimed in social realism. In archaic poetry, it serves as shorthand for vice, often in urban or tavern scenes where virtue is commodified or lost.
Example
Example in poetry:
"She was no drab, but a woman of fire," reclaiming the term; In Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure: "A drab of Dunmow"; "The tavern drab sang songs of lost love"; "Call her not drab, whose soul is bright"; "He mistook virtue for drabbery," a satirical twist; The drab cloak hid a queen’s resolve.
Additional Notes
“Drab” as a term for a prostitute or slovenly woman reflects patriarchal moralizing; in satirical or cautionary verse, it warns against lust or urban vice, though modern readers should note its gendered derogation.
Also Known As
harlot prostitute wench
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