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maiden |
6 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Maiden \Maid"en\, a. 1. Of or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to or characteristic of a virgin; as maiden innocence. ``Amid the maiden throng.'' --Addison. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ? --Shak. 2. Never having been married; not having had sexual intercourse; virgin; -- said usually of the woman, but sometimes of the man; as a maiden aunt. ``A surprising old maiden lady.'' --Thackeray. 3. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused. ``Maiden flowers.'' --Shak. Full bravely hast thou fleshed Thy maiden sword. --Shak. 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Maiden \Maid"en\, n. [OE. maiden, meiden, AS m[ae]gden, dim. of AS m[ae]g?, fr mago son, servant; akin to G. magd, m["a]dchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. m["o]gr 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Maiden \Maid"en\, v. t. To act coyly like a maiden; -- with it as an indefinite object. For had I maiden'd it as many use Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse. --Bp. Hall. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: maiden adj : serving to set in motion; "the magazine's inaugural issue"; "the initiative phase in the negotiations"; "an initiatory step toward a treaty"; "his first (or maiden) speech in Congress"; "the liner's maiden voyage" [syn: {inaugural}, {initiative}, {initiatory}, {first}] n 1: an unmarried girl (especially a virgin) [syn: {maid}] 2: (cricket) an over in which no runs are scored [syn: {maiden over}] From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]: Maiden, NC (town, FIPS 40660) Location: 35.57578 N, 81.20615 W Population (1990): 2574 (1023 housing units) Area: 7.3 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 28650 From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]: MAIDEN, n. A young person of the unfair sex addicted to clewless conduct and views that madden to crime. The genus has a wide geographical distribution, being found wherever sought and deplored wherever found The maiden is not altogether unpleasing to the eye, nor (without her piano and her views) insupportable to the ear, though in respect to comeliness distinctly inferior to the rainbow, and with regard to the part of her that is audible, bleating out of the field by the canary -- which also is more portable. A lovelorn maiden she sat and sang -- This quaint, sweet song sang she "It's O for a youth with a football bang And a muscle fair to see! The Captain he Of a team to be! On the gridiron he shall shine, A monarch by right divine, And never to roast on it -- me!" Opoline Jones
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