Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 6 calat(e, calet, kallat, 6–7 callette, callot, 7 callat, calette, callott, 6–8 calot, callet.
[Many have suggested its identity with F. caillette ‘foole, ninnie, noddie, naturall’ (Cotgr.), dim. of caille quail (esteemed a silly bird); but this does not quite answer phonetically, does not quite suit the sense, and was in French applied to men as readily as to women. Others have thought of F. calotte a kind of small bonnet or cap covering only the top of the head, but no evidence appears connecting this especially with a ‘callet.’ The Gael. and Ir. caille girl has also been suggested. It is not certain which is the earlier sense: perh. ‘scold,’ as in the vb. and CALLETY.]
1. A lewd woman, trull, strumpet, drab.
c. 1500. Cocke Lorelles B. (1843), 1. Yf he call her calat, she calleth hym knave agayne.
c. 1530. Redforde, Play Wit & Sc. (1848), 17. Wyll I mar him, drabb? Thow, calat, thow!
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 423/2. Frere Luther and Cate calate his nunne, lye luskyng together in lechery.
1569. J. Sa[nford], trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 94. Other Queenes which were queanes, and courtly callets.
1600. Holland, Livy, I. lviii. 41. Any unhonest woman or wanton callot [impudica].
1604. Shaks., Oth., IV. ii. 121. A Begger in his drinke Could not haue laid such termes vpon his Callet.
1616. Bullokar, Callette, a Lewd Woman.
1731. Bailey, vol. II., Calot, a Drab.
1785. Burns, Jolly Beggars, Air i. I’m as happy with my wallet, my bottle and my callet.
2. As a term of abuse; sometimes perhaps ‘scold’ as in the vb. Also attrib. Still dial.
a. 1528. Skelton, El Rummyng, 347. Than Elynour sayde, ye callettes, I shall breake your pallettes.
1530. Palsgr., 678. I rampe, I play the callet, je ramponne [I gibe, flout].
1575. J. Still, Gamm. Gurton, II. iii. Faith, would chad her by the face, chould crack her callet Crown.
1577. Stanyhurst, Descr. Irel., in Holinshed, VI. 52. Let us … leave lieing for varlets … scolding for callets.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., II. iii. 90. A Callat Of boundless tongue, who late hath beat her Husband, And now bayts me.
Hence Callety a. dial., scolding, ‘ill-tongued.’
1863. in Atkinson, Provinc. Danby.
