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trull

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 prostitute or loose woman—historically derogatory, appearing in moralizing, satirical, or tragic portrayals.

Detailed Definition
“Trull” degrades through gendered insult, common in moralizing verse. It contrasts with idealized femininity. The term’s bluntness suits condemnation. Poets use it to explore sexual double standards or urban vice, where trulls mark moral decay, reinforcing themes of purity, hypocrisy, and social judgment in satirical and narrative contexts.
Example
Example in poetry:
“The trull danced in the tavern,” in a satirical portrait; In Restoration verse: “A trull with painted cheeks”; “Call her not trull who sells her song”; “The trull’s laughter hid tears”; “The court trull whispered secrets”; The trull’s fate was written in wine.
Additional Notes
“Trull” reflects patriarchal moralizing, labeling women as sexually deviant; in city satire or underworld verse, it appears alongside “drab” or “doxy,” though modern readers should note its derogatory, gendered framing.
Also Known As
harlot prostitute wanton
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