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Webster 1913 Edition


Damsel

Dam′sel

(dăm′zĕl)
,
Noun.
[OE.
damosel
,
damesel
,
damisel
, damsel, fr. OF.
damoisele
,
damisele
, gentlewoman, F.
demoiselle
young lady; cf. OF.
damoisel
young nobleman, F.
damoiseau
; fr. LL.
domicella
,
dominicella
, fem.,
domicellus
,
dominicellus
, masc., dim. fr. L.
domina
,
dominus
. See
Dame
, and cf.
Demoiselle
,
Doncella
.]
1.
A young person, either male or female, of noble or gentle extraction;
as,
Damsel
Pepin;
Damsel
Richard, Prince of Wales.
[Obs.]
2.
A young unmarried woman; a girl; a maiden.
With her train of
damsels
she was gone,
In shady walks the scorching heat to shun.
Dryden.
Sometimes a troop of
damsels
glad, . . .
Goes by to towered Camelot.
Tennyson.
3.
(Milling)
An attachment to a millstone spindle for shaking the hopper.

Webster 1828 Edition


Damsel

DAM'SEL

,
Noun.
A young woman. Formerly, a young man or woman of noble or genteel extraction; as Damsel Pepin; Damsel Richard, prince of Wales. It is now used only of young women, and is applied to any class of young unmarried women, unless to the most vulgar, and sometimes to country girls.
With her train of damsels she was gone. Dryden.
Then Boaz said, whose damsel is this? Ruth ii.
This word is rarely used in conversation, or even in prose writings of the present day; but it occurs frequently in the scriptures, and in poetry.

Definition 2024


damsel

damsel

English

Alternative forms

Noun

damsel (plural damsels)

  1. A young woman (of noble birth).
  2. A girl; a maiden (without sexual experience).
  3. A young woman who is not married.

Derived terms

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