† schelchenen.
Obsolete. rare.
A female servant.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > [noun] > woman or girl
maidenOE
schelchenec1000
womanOE
maidc1300
ancillec1366
wench1380
child-womana1382
maidservanta1382
serving-womana1398
servantessa1425
servant maid?a1450
woman servant1450
servitrice1477
administress1483
ministressa1500
serving maid?1529
maiden-servant1533
servitrix1566
miskin-fro1585
servant girl1658
girl1668
necessary womanc1689
scout1708
servitress1827
ancilla1871
c1000 Ælfric Homilies (1846) II. 162 Þæt heora mod wurde ontend to galnysse, þurh ðæra scylcena plegan.
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 177 Vor heo nes neuer wurðe uorte beon his schelchine [?c1225 Cleo. þuften].
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 6 Alnis bute ase a schelchine to seruien þe leafdi to riwlen ðe heorte.
c1275 Passion our Lord 279 in Old Eng. Misc. 45 Þer com o schelchene gon þat wes myd kayphas.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.c1000