The Bridgerton rake meaning is different that the typical usage of the word. Usually, a rake is simply a common gardening tool or a verb that means to scratch, ransack, loosen, or gain in abundance. However, in Bridgerton it has a more archaic definition and is usually used to describe the reputation of various gentlemen of the ton. Throughout the show, you’ll usually hear the word used in a negative context or in its adjective form “rakish.” Here’s what rake is slang for in the Netflix series Bridgerton.
Who is a rake in Bridgerton?
In Bridgerton, a “rake” is another word for a philanderer, womanizer, or seducer. It’s typically ascribed to a bachelor who has a lot of sexual relations, particularly someone who frequents brothels.
Bachelors who are called a rake at least have sexual experience. It’s also an informal sign that they are not really on marriage market. Lord Fife is one of the gentlemen who is in this particular group, and we’ve seen both Anthony Bridgerton and Colin Bridgerton associate with them at times. Having the reputation of a rake, though, usually lands bachelors in hot water as far as formal courtship is concerned.
While gentlemen pressure each other to take as many lovers as they can, to “sow their oats” as Anthony puts it to Colin in season one, they need to follow much stricter rules of conduct if they truly mean to take a wife during a season. No lady would wish to have a husband that may have an illegitimate child as that would damage her and her family’s reputation.
This is why Anthony Bridgerton, after being called a “capital R rake” by Lady Whistledown at the beginning of season two, decides to skip the brothels and become more serious in his pursuit of a wife. In season 3, Colin Bridgerton cultivates a more charming personality and becomes the target of many young ladies, but he struggles to maintain this facade as the season progresses. Meanwhile, Lord Anderson also wishes to court many ladies, including Violet Bridgerton, but Lady Danbury is thoroughly displeased by her brother’s supposedly “rakish behavior.” There’s no formal way for a gentlemen to stop being called a rake other than showing the ton over many months that his behavior has changed.
