dictionary definitions for "maiden"


From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Maiden \Maid"en\ (m[=a]d"'n), n. [OE. maiden, meiden, AS.
     maegden, dim. of AS. maeg[eth], fr. mago son, servant; akin
     to G. magd, m[aum]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.
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              She employed the residue of her life to repairing of
              highways, building of bridges, and endowing of
              maidens.                              --Carew.
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              A maiden of our century, yet most meek. --Tennyson.
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     2. A female servant. [Obs.]
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     3. An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in
        Scotland for beheading criminals. --Wharton.
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     4. A machine for washing linen.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.
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              Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ? --Shak.
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     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.
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     3. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.
        "Maiden flowers." --Shak.
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              Full bravely hast thou fleshed
              Thy maiden sword.                     --Shak.
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     4. Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been
        captured, or violated. -- T. Warton. Macaulay.
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     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.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Maiden \Maid"en\, v. t.
     To act coyly like a maiden; -- with it as an indefinite
     object.
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           For had I maiden'd it, as many use.
           Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse. --Bp. Hall.
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     Maiden grass, the smaller quaking grass.
  
     Maiden tree. See Ginkgo.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  maiden
      adj 1: 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,
             maiden]
      n 1: an unmarried girl (especially a virgin) [syn: maid,
           maiden]
      2: (cricket) an over in which no runs are scored [syn: {maiden
         over}, maiden]


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