Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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.
\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.
\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.