Widow-in-mourning

1 definition found

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

  Widow \Wid"ow\ (w[i^]d"[-o]), n. [OE. widewe, widwe, AS.
     weoduwe, widuwe, wuduwe; akin to OFries. widwe, OS. widowa,
     D. weduwe, G. wittwe, witwe, OHG. wituwa, witawa, Goth.
     widuw[=o], Russ. udova, OIr. fedb, W. gweddw, L. vidua, Skr.
     vidhav[=a]; and probably to Skr. vidh to be empty, to lack;
     cf. Gr. "hi`qeos a bachelor. [root]248. Cf. {Vidual}.]


     A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not
     married again; one living bereaved of a husband. "A poor
     widow." --Chaucer.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Card Playing) In various games (such as "hearts"), any
        extra hand or part of a hand, as one dealt to the table.
        It may be taken by one of the players under certain
        circumstances.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     {Grass widow}. See under {Grass}.
  
     {Widow bewitched}, a woman separated from her husband; a
        grass widow. [Colloq.]
  
     {Widow-in-mourning} (Zool.), the macavahu.
  
     {Widow monkey} (Zool.), a small South American monkey
        ({Callithrix lugens}); -- so called on account of its
        color, which is black except the dull whitish arms, neck,
        and face, and a ring of pure white around the face.
  
     {Widow's chamber} (Eng. Law), in London, the apparel and
        furniture of the bedchamber of the widow of a freeman, to
        which she was formerly entitled.
        [1913 Webster]