Ladies

1 definition found

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

  Lady \La"dy\ (l[=a]"d[y^]), n.; pl. {Ladies} (l[=a]"d[i^]z).
     [OE. ladi, l[ae]fdi, AS. hl[=ae]fdige, hl[=ae]fdie; AS.
     hl[=a]f loaf + a root of uncertain origin, possibly akin to
     E. dairy. See {Loaf}, and cf. {Lord}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family;


        a mistress; the female head of a household.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Agar, the handmaiden of Sara, whence comest thou,
              and whither goest thou? The which answered, Fro the
              face of Sara my lady.                 --Wyclif (Gen.
                                                    xvi. 8.).
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress;
        -- a feminine correlative of lord. "Lord or lady of high
        degree." --Lowell.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, .
              . .
              We make thee lady.                    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was
        paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a
        sweetheart.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The soldier here his wasted store supplies,
              And takes new valor from his lady's eyes. --Waller.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a
        title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is
        not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a
        nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or
        knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by
        right.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman;
        -- the feminine correlative of {gentleman}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. A wife; -- not now in approved usage. --Goldsmith.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. Hence: Any woman; as, a lounge for ladies; a cleaning
        lady; also used in combination; as, saleslady.
        [PJC]
  
     8. (Zool.) The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a
        lobster; -- so called from a fancied resemblance to a
        seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Ladies' man}, a man who affects the society of ladies.
  
     {Lady altar}, an altar in a lady chapel. --Shipley.
  
     {Lady chapel}, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
  
     {Lady court}, the court of a lady of the manor.
  
     {Lady crab} (Zool.), a handsomely spotted swimming crab
        ({Platyonichus ocellatus}) very common on the sandy shores
        of the Atlantic coast of the United States.
  
     {Lady fern}. (Bot.) See {Female fern}, under {Female}, and
        Illust. of {Fern}.
  
     {Lady in waiting}, a lady of the queen's household, appointed
        to wait upon or attend the queen.
  
     {Lady Mass}, a Mass said in honor of the Virgin Mary.
        --Shipley.
  
     {Lady of the manor}, a lady having jurisdiction of a manor;
        also, the wife of a manor lord.
  
     {Lady's maid}, a maidservant who dresses and waits upon a
        lady. --Thackeray.
  
     {Our Lady}, the Virgin Mary.
        [1913 Webster]