Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Widow
Wid′ow
(wĭd′ō̍)
, Noun.
[OE.
widewe
, widwe
, AS. weoduwe
, widuwe
, wuduwe
; akin to OFries. widwe
, OS. widowa
, D. weduwe
, G. wittwe
, witwe
, OHG. wituwa
, witawa
, Goth. widuwō
, Russ. udova
, OIr. fedb
, W. gweddw
, L. vidua
, Skr. vidhavā
; and probably to Skr. vidh
to be empty, to lack; cf. Gr. ἡίθεοσ
a bachelor. √248. Cf. Vidual
.] A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married again; one living bereaved of a husband.
“A poor widow.” Chaucer.
Grass widow
. See under
– Grass
. Widow bewitched
, a woman separated from her husband; a grass widow.
[Colloq.]
– Widow-in-mourning
(Zool.)
, the macavahu.
– Widow monkey
(Zool.)
, a small South American monkey (
– Callithrix lugens
); – so called on account of its color, which is black except the dull whitish arms, neck, and face, and a ring of pure white around the face. Widow’s chamber
(Eng. Law)
, in London, the apparel and furniture of the bedchamber of the widow of a freeman, to which she was formerly entitled.
Wid′ow
,Adj.
Widowed.
“A widow woman.” 1 Kings xvii. 9.
“This widow lady.” Shak.
Wid′ow
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Widowed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Widowing
.] 1.
To reduce to the condition of a widow; to bereave of a husband; – rarely used except in the past participle.
Though in thus city he
Hath
Which to this hour bewail the injury.
Hath
widowed
and unchilded many a one,Which to this hour bewail the injury.
Shakespeare
2.
To deprive of one who is loved; to strip of anything beloved or highly esteemed; to make desolate or bare; to bereave.
The
Dries up her tears.
widowed
isle, in mourning,Dries up her tears.
Dryden.
Tress of their shriveled fruits
Are
Are
widowed
, dreary storms o'er all prevail. J. Philips.
Mourn,
widowed
queen; forgotten Sion, mourn. Heber.
3.
To endow with a widow's right.
[R.]
Shak.
4.
To become, or survive as, the widow of.
[Obs.]
Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and
widow
them all
. Shakespeare
Webster 1828 Edition
Widow
WIDOW
,Noun.
Widows chamber, in London, the apparel and furniture of the bed-chamber of the widow of a freeman, to which she is entitled.
WIDOW
,Verb.
T.
1.
To bereave of a husband; but rarely used except in the participle.2.
To endow with a widows right. [Unusual.]3.
To strip of any thing good.The widowd isle in mourning--
Definition 2024
widow
widow
English
Noun
widow (plural widows)
- A woman whose husband has died (and who has not remarried); feminine of widower.
- (informal, in combination) A woman whose husband is often away pursuing a sport, etc.
- 1988, Emily Parry, "For a Bowling Widow, a Split Isn't Just Two Lonely Pins", New York Times, November 27, 1988.
- I had been feeling like a bowling-alley widow, but knew he loved the game, so I suggested we join a mixed league.
- 1988, Emily Parry, "For a Bowling Widow, a Split Isn't Just Two Lonely Pins", New York Times, November 27, 1988.
- An additional hand of cards dealt face down in some card games, to be used by the highest bidder.
- (printing) A single line of type that ends a paragraph, carried over to the next page or column.
- A venomous spider, of the genus Latrodectus.
Related terms
Derived terms
Terms derived from widow (noun)
Translations
woman whose husband has died
|
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woman whose husband is often away
card games: additional hand dealt face down
single line of type carried over to the next page
spider of the genus Latrodectus
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Verb
widow (third-person singular simple present widows, present participle widowing, simple past and past participle widowed)
- (transitive) To make a widow (or widower) of someone; to cause the death of one's spouse.