lewd

Etymology 1

From Middle English lewed, lewd, leued (“unlearned, lay, lascivious”), from Old English lǣwede (“unlearned, ignorant, lay”), of uncertain origin. Formally similar to a derivative of the past participle of Old English lǣwan (“to reveal, betray”) in the sense of "exposed as being unlearned" or "easily betrayed, clueless", from Proto-West Germanic *lāwijan, from Proto-Germanic *lēwijaną (“to betray”), from *lēwą (“an opportunity, cause”), from Proto-Indo-European *lēw- (“to leave”). If so, then cognate with Old High German gilāen, firlāen (“to betray”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌴𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (galēwjan, “to give over, betray”), Gothic 𐌻𐌴𐍅 (lēw, “an opportunity, cause”). Or, according to the OED, probably from Vulgar Latin *laigo-, from Late Latin lāicus (“of the people”), from Ancient Greek λαϊκός (laïkós).

adj

1. Lascivious, sexually promiscuous, rude.
   Onstage he was known for ricochet riffs on politics, social issues and cultural matters both high and low; tales of drug and alcohol abuse; lewd commentaries on relations between the sexes; and lightning-like improvisations on anything an audience member might toss at him. August 11 2014, Dave Itzkoff, “Robin Williams, Oscar-Winning Comedian, Dies at 63 in Suspected Suicide”, in New York Times
2. (obsolete) Lay; not clerical.
   So these great clerks their little wisdom show / To mock the lewd, as learn'd in this as they. 1599, John Davies, Nosce Teipsum
3. (obsolete) Uneducated.
   My ſcoles are not for unthriftes untaught, For frantick faitours half mad and half ſtraught; But my learning is of another degree c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.
4. (obsolete) Vulgar, common; typical of the lower orders.
   Too lewd to work, and ready for any kind of mischief. 1829, Robert Southey, Sir Thomas More; or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society
5. (obsolete) Base, vile, reprehensible.

noun

1. A sexually suggestive image, particularly one which does not involve full nudity.
   Nudes, lewds and smutty outhouse cards, although they can be bought in some of the rowdy joints, are a negligible percentage of the total, and are unobtainable in the chain stores, drugstores and travel stations which are the outlets for […] 1944, The Saturday Evening Post, volume 217, page 25
   […] also put it, he learned “the difference between nudes and lewds." 1996, Cigar Aficionado, page 309

verb

1. To express lust; to behave in a lewd manner.
   "Well then,” dropping her bathrobe, lewding her lips, “how 'bout some lovee?” 2011, Cooper, The Queen's Assassin, page 189
   Now, the men could just have been watching the unusual APC running on the road, or just lewding at the women. 2016, George Saoulidis, The Girl Who Twisted Fate's Arm
   Each one lusting and lewding themselves - fighting against the spirit of change. 2019, Aldious Waite, Grape Juice Enlightenment: Immortal Mind, page 14

Etymology 2

verb

1. (slang) Alternative form of lude (“take the drug quaalude”)
   Babbs, after many days of glumming in his Purina Chow redoubt, strolls over, lewding out, “Hi, Je-e-e-ed!” to Kesey's three-year-old son. 1968, Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
   I was just lewding around, fucking furiously, drinking and doping and daring the devil. 1973, Yardbird Reader - Volumes 1-3, page 186
   Once lewded-out. I sampled the bourbon, then somebody suggested I take five more hits. 1996, Exquisite Corpse - Issues 56-61, page 54