α. Middle English prayne, Middle English–1600s prane, 1500s pran, 1500s prayn; Scottish pre-1700 pran, pre-1700 prane, pre-1700 prean, 1800s– prain.
β. 1500s–1600s praune, 1500s–1600s prawne, 1600s– prawn; Scottish 1700s– prawn.
prawnn.
/prɔːn/, U.S. /prɔn/, /prɑn/ 1. † b. A decorative figure of a prawn. Obsolete. rare.
a. Any of various edible marine decapod crustaceans resembling shrimps but usually somewhat larger and with a prominent rostrum on the carapace. Also more widely: a large shrimp.The traditional edible prawns of the North Atlantic belong to the genus Leander (infraorder Caridea), while those of Indo-Pacific origin belong to the genus Penaeus (suborder Dendrobranchiata).Dublin Bay, mud-, tiger prawn: see the first element.
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the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > shrimp or prawn
shrimp1327
prawn1336
prawn fish1552
crevette1878
camaron1880
gamba1950
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Crustacea > [noun] > subclass Malacostraca > division Thoracostraca > order Decapoda > suborder Macrura > tribe Caridea (shrimps and prawns)
shrimp1327
prawn1336
Caridea1852
carid1907
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Crustacea > [noun] > subclass Malacostraca > division Thoracostraca > order Decapoda > suborder Macrura > member of family Palaemonidae of Caridea
prawn1336
shrimpet1688
1336 in C. M. Woolgar Househ. Accts. Medieval Eng. (1992) I. 184 In codling et merling vii d. Item in buttis iii d. In pranes iii..d.
1426 Maldon (Essex) Court Rolls (Bundle 16, m. 2v) Item, dicunt qd Margareta vxor Robti Seyken forstallauit in foro praynes qu..emit in foro de Iohanne Gyrlfader, &c., ideo in misericordia vj d.
c1475 Gregory's Chron. in J. Gairdner Hist. Coll. Citizen London (1876) 141 Porpys rostyd, eneuse fryde, crevys of douce, datys, pranys, rede schry[m]ppys.
a1529 J. Skelton Colyn Cloute (?1545) sig. A.viv Ye pycke no shrympes nor pranes.
1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 ii. i. 98 Telling vs she had a good dish of prawnes . View more context for this quotation
1620 T. Venner Via Recta iv. 79 Pranes and Shrimps are of one and the same nature.
1740 R. Brookes Art of Angling ii. lxxxiv. 212 The Prawn..and the Shrimp..harbour themselves in the Holes of Rocks, and such-like Places along the Sea-Coast.
1788 Ld. Auckland Corr. (1861) II. 93 Within an ace of being laid low among the prawns, pebbles, and porpoises.
1813 W. Bingley Animal Biogr. (ed. 4) III. 389 The Shrimp is much smaller than the Prawn, and is by no means so much esteemed as food.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. v. 105 He..devoured gigantic prawns with the heads and tails on.
1893 T. R. R. Stebbing Hist. Crustacea xvi. 216 Penæus esculentus, Haswell, is said to be the common edible prawn of Sydney, Newcastle, and other places in Australia.
1921 Chambers's Jrnl. Sept. 590/1 There are times when and places where a salmon can be caught on either a fly or a prawn.
1991 N. W. Ellis John Major vii. 217 Norma sat there munching her way through the prawns.
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1578 T. Nicholas tr. F. Lopez de Gómara Pleasant Hist. Conquest W. India 171 Two collers of redde prawnes..and at euery one of them hanged eight shrimpes of gold, of excellent workemanship.
2. figurative and in extended use.
a. A person likened to a prawn in appearance or character, esp. in being foolish or foolish-looking.Occasionally as a term of familiarity.
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the world > people > person > [noun]
hadc900
lifesmaneOE
maneOE
world-maneOE
ghostOE
wyeOE
lifeOE
son of manOE
wightc1175
soulc1180
earthmanc1225
foodc1225
person?c1225
creaturec1300
bodyc1325
beera1382
poppetc1390
flippera1400
wat1399
corsec1400
mortal?a1425
deadly?c1450
hec1450
personagec1485
wretcha1500
human1509
mundane1509
member1525
worma1556
homo1561
piece of flesh1567
sconce1567
squirrel?1567
fellow creature1572
Adamite1581
bloat herringa1586
earthling1593
mother's child1594
stuff1598
a piece of flesh1600
wagtail1607
bosom1608
fragment1609
boots1623
tick1631
worthy1649
earthlies1651
snap1653
pippin1665
being1666
personal1678
personality1678
sooterkin1680
party1686
worldling1687
human being1694
water-wagtail1694
noddle1705
human subject1712
piece of work1713
somebody1724
terrestrial1726
anybody1733
individual1742
character1773
cuss1775
jig1781
thingy1787
bod1788
curse1790
his nabs1790
article1796
Earthite1814
critter1815
potato1815
personeityc1816
nibs1821
somebody1826
tellurian1828
case1832
tangata1840
prawn1845
nigger1848
nut1856
Snooks1860
mug1865
outfit1867
to deliver the goods1870
hairpin1879
baby1880
possum1894
hot tamale1895
babe1900
jobbie1902
virile1903
cup of tea1908
skin1914
pisser1918
number1919
job1927
apple1928
mush1936
face1944
jong1956
naked ape1965
oke1970
punter1975
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > foolish person, fool > [noun]
dizzyc825
cang?c1225
foolc1225
apec1330
mopc1330
saddle-goosec1346
mis-feelinga1382
foltc1390
mopec1390
fona1400
buffardc1430
fopc1440
joppec1440
fonda1450
fondlinga1450
insipienta1513
plume of feathers1530
bobolynec1540
dizzard1546
Little Witham?1548
nodc1563
dawkin1565
cocknel1566
nigion1570
niddicock1577
nodcock1577
cuckoo1581
Jack with the feather1581
niddipol1582
noddyship?1589
stirkc1590
fonkin1591
Gibraltar1593
fopper1598
noddypeak1598
coxcombry1600
simple1600
gowka1605
nup1607
fooliaminy1608
silly ass1608
dosser-head1612
dor1616
glow-worm1624
liripipea1625
doodle1629
sop1637
spalt1639
fool's head1650
buffle1655
Jack Adams1656
bufflehead1659
nincompoopc1668
bavian1678
nokes1679
foolanea1681
cod1699
hulver-head1699
nigmenog1699
single ten1699
mud1703
dowf1722
foolatum1740
silly billy1749
tommy noddy1774
arsec1785
nincom1800
silly1807
slob1810
omadhaun1818
potwalloper1820
mosy1824
amadan1825
gump1825
gype1825
oonchook1825
prawn1845
suck-egg1851
goosey1852
nowmun1854
pelican1856
poppy-show1860
buggerlugs1861
damfool1881
mudhead1882
yob1886
peanut head1891
haggis bag1892
poop1893
gazob1906
mush1906
wump1908
zob1911
gorm1912
goof1916
goofus1916
gubbins1916
dumb cluck1922
twat1922
B.F.1925
goofer1925
bird brain1926
berk1929
Berkeley1929
Berkeley Hunt1929
ding1929
loogan1929
stupido1929
poop-stick1930
nelly1931
droop1932
diddy1933
slappy1937
goof ball1938
get1940
poon1940
tonk1941
clot1942
yuck1943
possum1945
gobdaw1947
momo1953
nig-nog1953
plonker1955
weenie1956
nong-nong1959
Berkshire Hunt1960
balloon1965
doofus1965
dork1965
nana1965
shit-for-brains1966
schmoll1967
tosspot1967
lunchbox1969
doof1971
tonto1973
dorkus1979
motorhead1979
mouth-breather1979
wally1980
wally brain1981
der-brain1983
langer1983
numpty1985
sotong1988
fanny1995
fannybaws2000
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > condition of being held in contempt > [noun] > state or quality of being contemptible > contemptible person
wormc825
wretchOE
thingOE
hinderlingc1175
harlot?c1225
mixa1300
villain1303
whelpc1330
wonnera1340
bismera1400
vilec1400
beasta1425
creaturec1450
dog bolt1465
fouling?a1475
drivel1478
shit1508
marmoset1523
mammeta1529
pilgarlica1529
pode1528
slave1537
slim1548
skit-brains?1553
grasshopper1556
scavenger1563
old boss1566
rag1566
shrub1566
ketterela1572
shake-rag1571
skybala1572
mumpsimus1573
smatchetc1582
squib1586
scabship1589
vassal1589
baboon1592
Gibraltar1593
polecat1593
mushroom1594
nodc1595
cittern-head1598
nit1598
stockfish1598
cum-twang1599
dish-wash1599
pettitoe1599
mustard-token1600
viliaco1600
cargo1602
stump1602
snotty-nose1604
sprat1605
wormling1605
brock1607
dogfly?1611
shag-rag1611
shack-rag1612
thrum1612
rabbita1616
fitchock1616
unworthy1616
baseling1618
shag1620
glow-worm1624
snip1633
the son of a worm1633
grousea1637
shab1637
wormship1648
muckworm1649
whiffler1659
prig1679
rotten egg1686
prigster1688
begged fool1693
hang-dog1693
bugger1694
reptile1697
squinny1716
snool1718
ramscallion1734
footer1748
jackass1756
hallion1789
skite1790
rattlesnake1791
snot1809
mudworm1814
skunk1816
stirrah1816
spalpeen1817
nyaff1825
skin1825
weed1825
tiger1827
beggar1834
despicability1837
squirt1844
prawn1845
shake1846
white mouse1846
scurf1851
sweep1853
cockroach1856
bummer1857
medlar1859
cunt1860
shuck1862
missing link1863
schweinhund1871
creepa1876
bum1882
trashbag1886
tinhorn1887
snot-rag1888
rodent1889
whelpling1889
pie eatera1891
mess1891
schmuck1892
fucker1893
cheapskate1894
cocksucker1894
gutter-bird1896
perisher1896
skate1896
schmendrick1897
nyamps1900
ullage1901
fink1903
onion1904
punk1904
shitepoke1905
tinhorn sport1906
streeler1907
zob1911
stink1916
motherfucker1918
Oscar1918
shitass1918
shit-face1923
tripe-hound1923
gimp1924
garbage can1925
twerp1925
jughead1926
mong1926
fuck?1927
arsehole1928
dirty dog1928
gazook1928
muzzler1928
roach1929
shite1929
mook1930
lug1931
slug1931
woodchuck1931
crud1932
dip1932
bohunkus1933
lint-head1933
Nimrod1933
warb1933
fuck-piga1935
owl-hoot1934
pissant1935
poot1935
shmegegge1937
motheree1938
motorcycle1938
squiff1939
pendejo1940
snotnose1941
jerkface1942
slag1943
yuck1943
fuckface?1945
fuckhead?1945
shit-head1945
shite-hawk1948
schlub1950
asswipe1953
mother1955
weenie1956
hard-on1958
rass hole1959
schmucko1959
bitch ass1961
effer1961
lamer1961
arsewipe1962
asshole1962
butthole1962
cock1962
dipshit1963
motherfuck1964
dork1965
bumhole1967
mofo1967
tosspot1967
crudball1968
dipstick1968
douche1968
frickface1968
schlong1968
fuckwit1969
rassclaat1969
ass1970
wank1970
fecker1971
wanker1971
butt-fucker1972
slimeball1972
bloodclaat1973
fuckwad1974
mutha1974
suck1974
cocksuck1977
tosser1977
plank1981
sleazebag1981
spastic1981
dweeb1982
bumboclaat1983
dickwad1983
scuzzbag1983
sleazeball1983
butt-face1984
dickweed1984
saddie1985
butt plug1986
jerkweed1988
dick-sucker1989
microcephalic1989
wankstain1990
sadster1992
buttmunch1993
fanny1995
jackhole1996
fassyhole1997
fannybaws2000
fassy2002
the mind > emotion > love > terms of endearment > [noun]
darlingc888
belamy?c1225
culver?c1225
dearc1230
sweetheartc1290
heartc1300
sweetc1330
honeya1375
dovec1386
jewelc1400
birdc1405
cinnamonc1405
honeycombc1405
lovec1405
wantonc1450
mulling?a1475
daisyc1485
crowdy-mowdy?a1513
honeysop?a1513
powsowdie?a1513
suckler?a1513
foolc1525
buttinga1529
whitinga1529
beautiful1534
turtle-dove1535
soula1538
heartikin1540
bully?1548
turtle1548
lamba1556
nyletc1557
sweet-lovea1560
coz1563
ding-ding1564
pugs1566
golpol1568
sparling1570
lover1573
pug1580
bulkin1582
mopsy1582
chuck1589
bonny1594
chick1594
sweetikin1596
ladybird1597
angel1598
muss1598
pinkany1599
sweetkin1599
duck1600
joy1600
sparrowc1600
sucket1605
nutting1606
chuckaby1607
tickling1607
bagpudding1608
heartling1608
chucking1609
dainty1611
flittermouse1612
honeysuckle1613
fubs1614
bawcocka1616
pretty1616
old thinga1625
bun1627
duckling1630
bulchin1633
bulch?c1640
sweetling1648
friscoa1652
ding-dongs1662
buntinga1668
cocky1680
dearie1681
chucky1683
lovey1684
machree1689
nykin1693
pinkaninny1696
nug1699
hinny1724
puss1753
pet1767
dovey1769
sweetie1778
lovey-dovey1781
lovely1791
ducky1819
toy1822
acushla1825
alanna1825
treat1825
amigo1830
honey child1832
macushla1834
cabbage1840
honey-bunch1874
angel pie1878
m'dear1887
bach1889
honey baby1895
prawn1895
hon1896
so-and-so1897
cariad1899
pumpkin1900
honey-bun1902
pussums1912
snookums1919
treasure1920
wogger1922
amico1929
sugar1930
baby cake1949
angel cake1951
lamb-chop1962
petal1974
bae2006
1845 C. Dickens Let. 27 Jan. (1977) IV. 253 By the time he had finished this third dinner, his eyes protruded infinitely beyond the tip of that feature [sc. his nose]. You never saw such a human Prawn as he looked, in your life.
1893 D. Healey Cornstalk 50 The ‘Worker’ is a prawn—A fool for all his pains; He has the muscle and the brawn, The ‘Fat Man’ has the brains.
1895 W. P. Ridge Minor Dialogues 207 Ah, I expect you're a saucy young prawn, Emma.
1914 C. Mackaness Gem of Flat 49 ‘He's a gentleman.’ ‘A conceited prawn, I suppose.’
1965 Telegraph (Brisbane) 5 July 8/4 Describing a fellow who was a bit eccentric, or one who was just plain nuts... Anyone would know what he [sc. an Australian] meant if he used the word..prawn.
1997 Face Apr. 58/1 Don't be a prawn: look like a cracker in Audrey Ang's brand-new, lavishly-designed limited-edition range of clothing.
b. Australian colloquial. the raw prawn: something which is hard to swallow or difficult to believe; an act of deception, a swindle. Chiefly in to come the raw prawn (over, with, etc.): to attempt to deceive; to treat as foolish or gullible (usually in negative contexts).
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the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deceive [verb (intransitive)] > attempt
to try it on1811
to come the raw prawn (over, with, etc.)1940
1940 Any Complaints (Newcastle, New S. Wales) 4 Apr. 2 Voice..is invariably heard muttering something about a raw prawn.
1942 Salt 25 May 8 Don't come the raw prawn, don't try to put one over me.
c1948 S. L. Elliot in E. Hanger Khaki, Bush & Bigotry (1968) 36 The filthy rotten Crab, he'd better not come the raw prawn on us.
1951 D. Cusack & F. James Come in Spinner 306 Coupla bastards come the raw prawn over me on the last lap up from Melbourne and I done me last bob at Swy.
1954 Queensland Guardian 20 Jan. 2/5 Snow says he thinks that this is the raw prawn. We do all the work, the mob behind Menzies gets all the dough.
1970 Private Eye 16 Jan. 16 Don't come the raw prawn with me. Ozzie Barry and me are just good friends.
1984 Weekend Austral. 10–11 Nov. 7/5 (heading) Restaurant ‘comes the raw prawn’ with Lollo—and loses.
2005 Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne) (Nexis) 2 Jan. 90 Your subconscious suspects your partner of cooking the books. At least check that he isn't coming the raw prawn with you over something important.
Compounds
C1.
prawn fisherman n.
ΚΠ
1890 Times 15 Mar. 13/5 A number of lobster and prawn fishermen from Selsey, in Sussex, waited upon Sir Michael Hicke-Beach, M.P., at the Board of Trade yesterday.
1921 Chambers's Jrnl. Sept. 590/1 Numerous are the adverse comments I've heard on the prawn fisherman and his ways.
2005 Cairns Post (Australia) (Nexis) 28 July 2 Prawn fishermen stand to reap nearly $10 million after a ‘stuff- up’ has forced the Federal Government to buy out one-quarter of the Torres Strait fishery.
prawn fishing n.
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the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing for type of fish > [noun] > for prawns or shrimps
prawning1808
crayfishing1835
crawfishing1844
shrimping1848
prawn fishing1884
yabbying1934
1884 Times 6 June 16/2 (advt.) Three small collections of modern pictures and water-colour drawings,..including Prawn Fishing, a fine work of W. Collins, R.A.
1924 Blackwood's Mag. Apr. 489/2 Neither the Lydons nor anybody else could make me enjoy prawn-fishing on that high walk at Galway.
1995 Beautiful Brit. Columbia Summer 9/3 Gilbert..believes prawn fishing is partly to blame for the decline of salmon fishing in the inlet.
prawn net n.
ΚΠ
1843 Times 19 Oct. 5/1 I found men, women, and children engaged in gathering the tea [from a wrecked ship] with prawn nets as it floated about like so much sea-weed.
1867 R. Garner Holiday Excursions Naturalist ii. 46 I got a beautiful species of Wrasse from one of the prawn-nets.
1992 Sunday Mail (Queensland) (Nexis) 18 Oct. The shark is portrayed as some sort of ruthless killer eating anything (including fish hooks and a prawn net).
prawn-picking n.
ΚΠ
1836 T. Hook Gilbert Gurney I. iii. 85 Egg-eating and prawn-picking are not delicate performances.
1990 R. Santhanam Fisheries Science Contents Prawn picking—a sustenance for rural women folk.
prawn soup n.
ΚΠ
1714 M. Kettilby Coll. above 300 Receipts 4 (heading) To make Craw-fish or Prawn-Soop.
1994 S. Owen Indonesian Regional Food & Cookery 179 The list included Duck Breast in Peanut Sauce; Clear Prawn Soup with Lemon Grass.
C2. † prawn fish n. Obsolete rare = sense 1a.† prawn-stage n. Obsolete rare a prawn-like stage in the development of a crab; = megalops n. 2.
prawn cocktail n. a dish of prawns covered in a Marie Rose sauce or some other dressing, typically served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer at the beginning of a meal (cf. cocktail n. 4b).
ΚΠ
1931 ‘Countess Morphy’ Lightning Cookery 15 Prawn Cocktail. Ingredients:..1/2 a pint of fresh prawns, 1 lettuce, equal parts of mayonnaise, cream and Heinz's Tomato ketchup, a dash of brandy [etc.].
1968 ‘M. Torrie’ Your Secret Friend iii. 28 What would you think to a nice prawn cocktail, sir?
1996 Independent 13 Nov. i. 3/1 King Prawn Sundae—or prawn cocktail—has had an uninterrupted career at the Beefeater chain since it opened 22 years ago.
prawn cracker n. (in Chinese cooking) a light cracker or crisp made from rice or tapioca flour with prawn flavouring, which puffs up when deep-fried.
ΚΠ
1959 Times 9 Mar. p. xvii/6 (advt.) 1 tin Prawn Crackers.
1965 H. Burke Chinese Cooking for Pleasure 45/2 Prawn crackers are dropped, a few at a time, into hot peanut or other vegetable oil. They should rise fairly quickly and expand into large deep petal shapes, several times larger than their original size.
2003 Gay Times Feb. 113/1 Opt for plain rice or noodles over fried rice, prawn crackers or sesame prawn roll.
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the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > shrimp or prawn
shrimp1327
prawn1336
prawn fish1552
crevette1878
camaron1880
gamba1950
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Prane fyshe, carides, tingus.
1611 J. Florio Queen Anna's New World of Words at Parnocchie Prawne fishes [1598 praunes].
prawn pink n. and adj. (a) n. a bright pink resembling the colour of prawns, a reddish pink; (b) adj. (usually hyphenated) that is of a reddish-pink colour.
ΚΠ
1885 Bangor (Maine) Daily Whig & Courier 30 July Velvet ribbons of the most exquisitely soft and lovely tints of prawn-pink,..blue, Persian mauve, and the like are used to handsome effect.
1891 Daily News 12 June 3/3 Fine net,..worn over prawn-pink satin.
1993 Sunday Times (Nexis) 25 Apr. (Features section) I emerged from the mud a shocking shade of prawn pink.
1996 M. Cheek Sleeping Beauties vi. 47 She looked down at the now prawn-pink creature.
prawn pot n. a pot or trap in which prawns are caught.
ΚΠ
a1860 W. E. Burton Cycl. Wit & Humor (1864) II. 842/1 By way of passing off the time till the old lady's return we resolved to row out and lift up the prawn-pots.
1963 Times 2 May 13/4 The..fisherman whose total catch from fifty prawn pots in the first five weeks of the season amounted..to a 10oz. Dover sole, a tiny lobster, and one prawn.
2005 Herald Express (Torquay) (Nexis) 10 May 9 There are numerous crab and prawn pots off the point at Institute Beach.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Crustacea > [noun] > subclass Malacostraca > division Thoracostraca > order Decapoda > suborder Brachyura (crab) > crabs at particular stage
soft crab1737
softshell crab1806
megalopa1815
buster1855
megalops1855
shedder-crab1860
peeler1866
shedder1872
prawn-stage1896
fat crab1905
1896 J. W. Kirkaldy & E. C. Pollard tr. J. E. V. Boas Text Bk. Zool. 226 The young one passes through a prawn-stage.
Derivatives
ˈprawn-like adj. resembling a prawn; suggestive of a prawn.
ΚΠ
1839 C. Darwin in R. Fitzroy & C. Darwin Narr. Surv. Voy. H.M.S. Adventure & Beagle III. i. 19 In the case of the prawn-like crabs, their movements were as coinstantaneous as in a regiment of soldiers.
1904 R. Kipling Traffics & Discov. 182 With prawn-like speed she [sc. a motor-car] retired backwards.
1956 X. Field House Plants iii. 74 The Shrimp Plant has always been a favourite of mine. I delight in its prawn-like flowers.
1997 Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.) (Nexis) 15 Nov. c20 We sampled prawn-like crayfish (crawfish to the locals).
ˈprawny adj. suggestive of a prawn; containing prawns.
ΚΠ
1865 Daily Tel. 25 Aug. Our shrimps have most prawny proportions.
1996 Sunday Times (Nexis) 4 Feb. Prawn crackers. Greasy little things, and not that prawny, either.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
prawnv.
/ˈprɔːn/, U.S. /ˈprɔn/, /ˈprɑn/ intransitive. To fish for prawns.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing for type of fish > fish for type of fish [verb (intransitive)] > for prawns or shrimps
shrimp1844
prawn1886
yabby1941
1886 Globe 16 July 3/3 The hand that prawns must be quick and steady.
1905 Daily Chron. 30 Aug. 4/5 At the Place we prawn when the tide goes out.
1926 R. Macaulay Crewe Train ii. v. 119 Torquay wasn't bad. One could shrimp and prawn and fish.
2005 Central Coast Express (Austral.) (Nexis) 22 July The family tradition is continuing, with Mr Rossetti and his son..prawning and working together on the beach as commercial fishermen.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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