or punquetto, subs. (old).—1.  A harlot: see TART: also as verb. = to procure. Hence, PUNKER = a wencher; and PUNKISH = meretricious.—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785).

1

  c. 1575.  Old Ballad, ‘Old Simon the Kinge’ [FARMER, Merry Songs and Ballads (1897), iii. 4].

        Soe fellowes, if you be drunke,
  of ffrailtye itt is a sinne,
as itt is to keepe a PUNCKE.

2

  1600.  JONSON, Cynthia’s Revels, ii. 1. Marry, to his cockatrice, or PUNQUETTO, half a dozen taffata gowns or satin kirtles in a pair or two of months—why, they are nothing.

3

  1603.  SHAKESPEARE, Measure for Measure, v. 1. She may be a PUNK, for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

4

  1607.  DEKKER, Westward Ho! ii. 2. The sewing-man [has] his PUNK, the student his nun in White-Friars. Ibid., iv. 1. Thou hast more tricks in thee than a PUNK has uncles, cousins, brothers, sons or fathers.

5

  1611.  CHAPMAN, May-Day, iv. 4. She was some stale PUNK, I warrant her.

6

  1614.  JONSON, Bartholomew Faire, ii. 1. Here you may have your PUNK and your pig both in state, sir, piping hot.

7

  1620–55.  Broadside Ballad [Roxburghe Coll. (Brit. Mus.), i. 46, 47].

        A woman that will be drunk,
  will eas’ly play the PUNCK.

8

  1630.  TAYLOR (‘The Water Poet’), Workes, i. 110.

        His Pimpship with his PUNKE despight the horne,
Eate Gosling giblets in a fort of Corne.

9

  1632.  MASSINGER, The City Madam, ii. 2. I’ll wed a pedlar’s PUNK first.

10

  c. 1650.  BRATHWAITE, Drunken Barnaby’s Journal (1723), II. 50.

        Hence to Dunchurch, where report is
Of pimps and PUNKS a great resort is.

11

  d. 1655.  T. ADAMS, Works [Nichol’s Series of Standard Divines, 1861–2], 28. These PUNKISH outsides beguile the needy traveller.

12

  1670.  COTTON, Burlesque upon Burlesque: or, The Scoffer Scofft [Works (1725), 249].

        He is a very honest Younker,
A bonny Lad, and a great PUNKER.

13

  1672.  WYCHERLEY, Love in a Wood, ii. 1. Are you not a fireship, a PUNK, madam’?

14

  1687.  CLEVELAND, Works, ‘Against Ale.’ Among the roaring PUNKS and dammy-boys.

15

  1695.  CONGREVE, Love for Love, i. 1. A worn-out PUNK … without a whole tatter to her tail.

16

  1697.  VANBRUGH, The Provoked Wife, iii. 4. What, a pox!… two whores, egad!… Have you never a spare PUNK for your friend.

17

  1706.  WARD, The Wooden World Dissected, 15. Some snotty-nosed Letter-man, the Product of some quondam PUNK.

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  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 20.

        If you’re not mad you must be drunk,
To drub your gen’ral for a PUNK.

19

  Verb. (cyclists’).—2.  To puncture a tyre: also, as subs. = a punctured tyre.

20