"… why not ask the wench's hand from her father, if thou hadst any honesty in thy love for her?" Sir Walter Scott
2
a
old-fashioned: a female servant
a tavern wench
b
archaic: a girl or woman of a socially low class
They replied that they had seen nobody leave but a young girl, very shabbily dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country wench than a gentlewoman. Charles Perrault
3
archaic: a lewd or promiscuous woman : a female prostitute
Noun a local wench who was well-known at the town's tavern
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Nothing says Christmas romance like jokes about douches, wenches, and medieval punishment. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 19 Nov. 2019 How did this land wench know the fearsome Captain Morgan? Alex Baia, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2019 Things get blurry when the two-step into character for the Faire, Emily as tavern wench Emma and Simon as dashing pirate Captain Leatherpants Blackthorne. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 30 Sep. 2019 The adventures of this knight (Robert J. Townsend) and his squire, Sancho Panza (Jeffrey Landman), quickly crystallize around Quixote’s spellbound love for a wench of ill repute, Aldonza (Heidi Meyer). David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2019 The dotty house wench in 12 Years a Slave becomes Mufasa’s mate, Queen of the Pride Lands, and Simba’s mother. Armond White, National Review, 19 July 2019 Denbo is, obviously, delighted, and gives me tips on the best way to experience it, including: see a water wench show and indulge in all the delicious food but maybe skip the pizza. Kaitlin Reilly, refinery29.com, 8 June 2019 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English wenche, short for wenchel child, from Old English wencel; akin to Old High German wankōn to totter, waver and probably to Old High German winchan to stagger — more at wink