-wench-

n. [ OE. wenche, for older wenchel a child, originally, weak, tottering; cf. AS. wencle a maid, a daughter, wencel a pupil, orphan, wincel, winclu, children, offspring, wencel weak, wancol unstable, OHG. wanchol; perhaps akin to E. wink. See Wink. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A young woman; a girl; a maiden. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lord and lady, groom and wench. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

That they may send again
My most sweet wench, and gifts to boot. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was received by the daughter of the house, a pretty, buxom, blue-eyed little wench. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A low, vicious young woman; a drab; a strumpet. [ 1913 Webster ]

She shall be called his wench or his leman. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is not a digression to talk of bawds in a discourse upon wenches. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A colored woman; a negress. [ Archaic, U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]