ENGL 215 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Geoffrey Chaucer, William Caxton
3 Nov 2016
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Research assignment: the oxford english dictionary states that a vulgar usage of the word prick is in reference to a penis, or a weak masculine (oed). The oed additionally attributes the vulgar connotation to. So, it is logical to conclude that, like today, the word prick did have a sexual connotation in shakespeare"s time: the earliest date noted in the oed, using the word prick in reference to male genitalia is in. 1540 in a translation of a j. palsgrave text: another way that shakespeare used the phrase to prick, according the oxford english. Dictionary is to mark or indicate by a prick or tick: esp. to score through or put a mark against (an item on a list); to mark down, tick off. Also (of the sovereign): to select (a person) for the office of sheriff from a list by this means; (hence) to appoint, pick out, or select (oed).
