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1696 T. Southerne Oroonoko i. i. 5 You have persuaded me to leave dear England, and dearer London..to follow you a Husband-hunting into America.

1771 T. Smollett Humphry Clinker II. 188 I must make you acquainted with my sister Tabby's progress in husband-hunting.

1821 Ld. Byron Sardanapalus iv. i. 114 And her, the homicide and husband-killer.

1823 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto XI lxxxix. 147 Some sage, husband-hunting Countess.

1824 European Mag. & London Rev. Jan. 17/1 Parents were incessantly on the alert for sons-in-law;..the brothers turned husband-hunters.

1845 C. Brontë Let. 2 Apr. (1995) I. 388 If women wish to escape the stigma of husband-seeking they must act & look like marble or clay.

1868 Punch 25 July 44/1 This Husband-hunting which has its laws and seasons as well as otter or fox-hunting, or any other fashionable sport.

1897 Edinb. Rev. Apr. 458 The Danaides, spring-nymphs as well as husband-slayers.

1899 Daily News 26 Sept. 7/5 One of the greatest reasons of my contempt for them is their husband-catching propensities.

1905 To-Day 8 Mar. 173/1 She will demand a better article than the mere husband-hunter has been able to stand out for.

1914 in P. Farrer Confidential Corr. on Cross Dressing (1997) I. 72 I read with great interest the letter from the husband-tamer appearing in last week's issue.

1984 A. G. Meyer in J. C. Fort German Women 223 The ludicrous situation in which the husband-catching business placed a young woman easily led her to dream about her future husband as Prince Charming.

2011 L. Peril Swimming in Steno Pool Intr. 5 The husband-hunting, pencil-pushing, coffee-getting, dumb-bunny, sex-bomb secretary depicted in advertisments [sic], novels, movies.