Hypertext Webster Gateway: "damsel"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Damsel \Dam"sel\, n. [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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
damsel
n : a young unmarried woman [syn: {demoiselle}, {damoiselle}, {damosel},
{damozel}]
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