General
lewdies
What does lewdies mean?
The spelling nudges toward English 'lewd', a faint extra colouring typical of Burgess.
"He spat the word lewdies as if the whole world disgusted him."
Origin
Coined by Burgess in A Clockwork Orange (1962) from the Russian 'lyudi', 'people'. The respelling faintly evokes English 'lewd', though the literal root is simply 'people'.
Frequently asked questions
What does lewdies mean?
It is Nadsat for people, from the Russian 'lyudi'.
Where did lewdies come from?
Anthony Burgess coined it for A Clockwork Orange in 1962 from the Russian word for people.
Does lewdies have anything to do with the word lewd?
Only as a faint visual echo; the actual root is the Russian 'lyudi', meaning people.
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