1. Plural of bawdy; women of loose morals or those engaged in prostitution (archaic or offensive).
Usage: archaic; offensive; vulgar
2. Plural of bawdy; bawdy houses or brothels (archaic).
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• The play contained references to the bawdies of Elizabethan London.
• Historical records documented the locations of various bawdies in the city.
• The character was known to frequent the bawdies near the docks.