jan 1, 1675 - caitiff
Description:
It shares the same origin as captive but by the early fourteenth century had come to mean a poor wretch, a person in a piteous condition (OED). 1590 <i>one caytyfe of Brestwell buried</i>, Thornhill (PR); 1607 <i>John is a catiffe in bodye and meane of understandinge</i>, Grassington (MD230); 1675 <i>Christian Atkinson hath nothinge to relieve hir child and hir selfe ... a pore catife ... withoute the charitable helpe of hir neighbouers</i>, Gigglewick (QS1/14).Added to timeline:
Date:
jan 1, 1675
Now
~ 350 years ago