Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Slang A woman companion of a gunman or gangster.
- n. Slang A woman prostitute.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A familiar form of the feminine name
- n. [l. c] A female companion not bound by ties of marriage, but often a life-mate: a word in common use among navvies, costermongers, and the like.
- In music, minor: as, C moll, or C minor.
Wiktionary
- n. A woman companion of a gangster, especially a former or current prostitute.
- n. A prostitute or woman with loose sexual morals
- n. bitch, slut (i.e. an insult directed at females).
- n. a girlfriend of a surfie or bikieNote that, as Australian pronunciation merges the /ɒ/ and /əʊ/ phonemes before /l/ (they both become [oʊl]), this word is very commonly spelt "mole" in Australia, probably by contamination with the word mole, referring to sneaky people. Indeed, the Australian Oxford dictionary does not list the Australian meaning of the term under the headword "moll", but only under "mole", although it does recognise that "mole" in this sense is "probably" a mere "variant of moll".
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Minor; in the minor mode.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the girlfriend of a gangster
Etymologies
- Probably from the name Moll, nickname for Mary.
Examples
“If I am not mistaken, the word moll is a well-rooted native word in English going back at least as far as Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders.”
“It would be easy to wonder: is this what modern "moll"-ism looks like – cancelling Facebook, stopping Tweeting, stifling the modern confessional urge, to stand by your man, even if he isn't your man any more?”
The Guardian: David Cameron, shame on you, for this 'brave' attack on nurses | Barbara Ellen
“As Cobb crafts and executes his scheme, issues surface involving a beautiful woman named Mal (Marion Cotillard), whose name is pronounced "moll" and whose smoky, seductive beauty indeed suggests a classic femme fatale of yore.”
The Washington Post: 'Inception's' dream team weaves a mesmerizing tale
“I remained in New Zealand about fourteen years, and since I came home I have never had a day's luck; I went on the 'cross, 'and got four years; after I had finished that bit, I went and lived with a' moll 'I knew, and spent all my money.”
“But Detectives Burke and Duvaney ascertain from one of their "stool pigeons" that Michael Ribbs, alias Padlock Mike, is in funds -- that he and his "moll," who may be his wife or his mistress, are enjoying the fruits of Mike's labors.”
““The moll is a beauty; she is well informed, and stands by her mates, and a first-rate hand.”
“The moll is a beauty; she is well informed, and stands by her mates, and a first-rate hand.”
“I got to play a Mossad agent, a Southern belle and Salome," says the 30-year-old actress, adding that she "just played a gun moll from Chicago" in an upcoming Prohibition-era film.”
The Wall Street Journal: An Unfamiliar Face, Soon Everywhere
“Grahame appears as the moll of a local crime boss, while William Bendix also co-stars as an undercover cop.”
“Tree" is only the director's fifth feature film release since his resounding 1973 debut with "Badlands," starring Martin Sheen on a murder spree with his moll, played by Sissy Spacek.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘moll’.
-
Unsavory characters
absconder, aretaloger, arriviste, avaunter, bamboozler, bandit, banger, barbarian, barmecide, barrator, beldam, blatherskite and 190 more...
-
Bad Options
words for those who commit particular crimes: i.e., bank robber, arsonist, etc.
liar, cheat, traitor, arsonist, felon, braggard, thief, profiteer, impostor, phony, fraud, culprit and 194 more...
mollusque I seem to be an autantonym, not being female, gangster or single. Aug 30, 2011
ruzuzu Good--you're almost there. Keep going!
How was Irene? Aug 30, 2011
Prolagus I re-opened it a few days ago... "We are" in Antarctica.
*adds Maps and Legends to wishlist* Aug 30, 2011
ruzuzu Pro! I was just thinking about you--did you ever finish The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay? I think you might like Maps & Legends more/better/instead. Aug 30, 2011
Prolagus In addition, moll is short for one of our favorite Wordies - who is not, to the best of my knowledge, "a female companion not bound by ties of marriage". Aug 30, 2011
ruzuzu Thanks, biocon--that bit about B moll sure explains the cover of the Mozart album in the visuals. Aug 30, 2011
biocon In addition, moll is an adjective that means 1. soft; 2. mild (weather), as well as a noun meaning a soft or weak thing or person, specifically an effeminate man. In early music, moll = flat and was chiefly used in B moll, ♭ moll bmol (Oxford English Dictionary). Aug 30, 2011