Hypertext Webster Gateway: "maiden"

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) 1.7 (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}]


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