[A familiar pet-form of the female name Judith.] Name of the wife of Punch in the puppet-show of ‘Punch and Judy’; hence (slang) applied disparagingly or contemptuously, esp. to a woman of ridiculous appearance.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Judy, a blowen; but sometimes used when speaking familiarly of any woman.
1825. C. M. Westmacott, Engl. Spy, II. 65. Old Punch with his Judy.
1885. J. Runciman, Skippers & Shellbacks, 3. You get caught speaking to any of them steerage judies, you’ll be up on the bridge and logged.
Mod. slang. Doesn’t she look a Judy?
b. Comb., as Judy-puppet; Judy-cow, a local name for the lady-bird (cf. lady-cow).
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., Judy-cow.
1897. Q. Rev., Oct., 331. They are simply Judy-puppets in the Policinello of conventionality.
