**This article contains spoilers!**
Bridgerton is the show everyone's talking about - and now, there's a word on the tip of everyone's tongue that seems to be making an unlikely comeback.
Well, the word 'rake' itself is quite familiar but its historical meaning is very juicy. While we may all recognise a rake as a tool used to scrape leaves, the Netflix drama has reignited people's interest in the old meaning.
Rake is used in the first episode when the Duke of Hastings, Simon Bassett (Regé-Jean Page), is invited to dinner at the Bridgerton manor to match him with Daphne Bridgerton, who happens to be one of the town's most desirable bachelorettes.
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But Simon has a reputation for being unable to remain faithful to one woman at a time. After one of the Bridgerton sisters calls him handsome, another replies "yes, if you're into rakish dudes."
So, a rake is essentially an old-school player. Sarah MacLean, a historical romance author, told Oprah Magazine: "A rake is a loveable scoundrel. There's a wide spectrum of rakes, and Simon of Bridgerton lands on the nicer end. Usually, a rake is someone who has been around and has had a number of relationships. He's probably pretty handsome. He's probably pretty charming."
The word has been used in this context quite a lot in historical romance novels by modern day authors, such as the original Bridgerton book series by Julia Quinn on which the popular Netflix show is based.
There's a lot to love about Bridgerton. In addition to its usage of terms like 'rake', there's lots of juicy drama, scandalous sex scenes and, of course, the period setting.
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Netflix has not renewed the show for a second season (yet) but all signs point to more episodes in the near future. You can find out everything we know about season 2 here.
Featured Image Credit: NetflixTopics: bridgerton, TV and Film, TV Entertainment, Netflix