Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Maiden
Maid′en
(mād′’n)
, Noun.
[OE.
maiden
, meiden
, AS. maegden
, dim. of AS. maegð
, fr. mago
son, servant; akin to G. magd
, mädchen
, maid, OHG. magad
, Icel. mögr
son, Goth. magus
boy, child, magaps
virgin, and perh. to Zend. magu
youth. Cf. Maid
a virgin.] 1.
An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid.
She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of
maidens
. Carew.
A
maiden
of our century, yet most meek. Tennyson.
2.
A female servant.
[Obs.]
3.
An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.
Wharton.
4.
A machine for washing linen.
Maid′en
,Adj.
1.
Of or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to, or characteristic of, a virgin;
“Amid the maiden throng.” as,
. maiden
innocenceAddison.
Have you no modesty, no
maiden
shame ? Shakespeare
2.
Never having been married; not having had sexual intercourse; virgin; – said usually of the woman, but sometimes of the man;
“A surprising old maiden lady.” as, a
. maiden
auntThackeray.
3.
Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.
“Maiden flowers.” Shak.
Full bravely hast thou fleshed
Thy
Thy
maiden
sword. Shakespeare
4.
Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been captured, or violated.
T. Warton. Macaulay.
Maiden assize
(Eng. Law)
, an assize which there is no criminal prosecution; an assize which is unpolluted with blood. It was usual, at such an assize, for the sheriff to present the judge with a pair of white gloves.
Smart.
– Maiden name
, the surname of a woman before her marriage.
– Maiden pink
. (Bot.)
See under
– Pink
. Maiden plum
(Bot.)
, a West Indian tree (
– Comocladia integrifolia
) with purplish drupes. The sap of the tree is glutinous, and gives a persistent black stain. Maiden speech
, the first speech made by a person, esp. by a new member in a public body.
– Maiden tower
, the tower most capable of resisting an enemy.
– maiden voyage
the first regular service voyage of a ship.
Maid′en
,Verb.
T.
To act coyly like a maiden; – with it as an indefinite object.
For had I
Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse.
maiden’d
it, as many use.Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse.
Bp. Hall.
Webster 1828 Edition
Maiden
MA'IDEN
, n.1.
An unmarried woman, or a young unmarried woman; a virgin.2.
A female servant.3.
It is used in composition, to express the feminine gender, as in maid-servant.MA'IDEN
,Noun.
MA'IDEN
,Adj.
1.
Consisting of young women or virgins. Amid the maiden throng.
2.
Fresh; new; unused. He fleshed his maiden sword.
MA'IDEN
,Verb.
I.