subs. (old slang, now recognised).—A woman of doubtful repute. [A contraction of demi-reputation.] For synonyms, see BARRACK-HACK and TART.
1750. FIELDING, Tom Jones, bk. XV., ch. ix. That character which is vulgarly called a DEMI-REP; that is to say, a woman who intrigues with every man she likes, under the name and appearance of virtue … in short, whom everybody knows to be what nobody calls her.
1754. The Connoisseur, No. 4. An order of females lately sprung up … usually distinguished by the denomination of DEMI-REPS; a word not to be found in any of our dictionaries.
1846–48. THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, vol. II., ch. xx. So they went on talking about dancers, fights, drinking, DEMI-REPS, until Macmurdo came down.
