......Definition

"You Brazen Hussy!"

What immediately comes to mind when you see that phrase? An immoral slut? A prostitute? Someone deserving your contempt?

This week on Facebook a friend of mine posted the phrase "Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History" and she received a flood of responses from one end of the spectrum to the other. At one point the discussion turned to well-behaved equals having no manners. I, of course, added my two cents and threw in the word "Brazen". It is one of my all time favorite words and in fact is part of my website name "Brazen Creature". Brazen elicited an even more powerful slew of responses. I became quite fascinated at the intensity of all of it.

In reality it all boils down to what you choose the definition of a word be. For me Brazen means - daring, bold, without doubt, unashamed, no fear. For one person on my friend's site it means street walker. I choose the positive definition over the negative. I actually enjoy taking words with negative connotations and changing people's perspective of it.

With the phrase "Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History", some people choose to define the meaning as rude, disrespectful, unsavory women are the only ones to make history. In reality, most historical women had impeccable manners. It's the going against the grain, bucking the system, forcing their voices to be heard that gained them their spot in history, not that they forgot to send Thank You notes. The person who has the skill and intelligence to back their opponent into a corner by using their opponent's own game, truly understands the art of the social dance. These women of history were masters at it.

So let's look at the actual definition of Brazen Hussy

Brazen:

1. Marked by flagrant and insolent audacity. See Synonyms at shameless.
2. To face or undergo with bold self-assurance
3. Having a loud, usually harsh, resonant sound
4. Made of brass.
5. Resembling brass, as in color or strength.

Word Origin & History: O.E. bræsen "made of brass," from bræs "brass." The figurative sense of "hardened in effrontery" is c.1573 (in brazen-face), perhaps suggesting a face unable to show shame (see brass). To brazen it out "face impudently" is from 1555.

Hussy:

1. A housewife or housekeeper.
2. A brazen or immoral woman.
3. A mischievous, impudent, or ill-behaved girl.
4. A worthless woman or girl; a forward wench; a jade; -- used as a term of contempt or reproach.
5. A pert girl; a frolicsome or sportive young woman; -- used jocosely. --Goldsmith.

Word Origin & History: 1530, "mistress of a household, housewife," alt. of M.E. husewif, from huse "house" + wif "wife." Gradually broadened to mean "any woman or girl," and by 1650 was being applied to "a woman or girl who shows casual or improper behavior," and a general derogatory sense had overtaken the word by 19c. "It is common to use housewife in a good, and huswife or hussy in a bad sense." [Johnson]

So originally a "Brazen Hussy" was a Housewife made of Brass.

You can go through life choosing to always see the negative, I personally prefer the power the positive definitions of the world can provide. I'm glad that my throwing in the word brazen upped the level of discussion that was already going on.

It is much easier to accept what society tells you something is instead of going out and questioning the world for yourself. As you see with the word hussy, it started out with a totally innocuous meaning...housewife and over time evolved into a forward wench (by the way LOVE the phrase forward wench, might have to start using it).

You and only you can define your world, whether it's words, direction, style, friends, job, etc., you have the power to write your definitions.

My definition.........Brazen. When people say "How Dare You?", I say "Oh yes I Dare, I Dare on a regular basis"!

What's your definition?