lady

n.; pl. Ladies [ OE. ladi, læfdi, AS. hl&aemacr_;fdige, hl&aemacr_;fdie; AS. hlāf 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 ]

n. Same as ladybird.
Syn. -- ladybug, lady beetle, ladybird, ladybird beetle. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Equiv. to, bird of Our Lady. ] (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small beetles of the genus Coccinella and allied genera (family Coccinellidæ); -- called also ladybug, ladyclock, lady cow, lady fly, ladybeetle, and lady beetle. Coccinella seplempunctata in one of the common European species. See Coccinella. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The ladybirds are usually more or less hemispherical in form, with a smooth, polished surface, and often colored red, brown, or black, with small spots of brighter colors. Both the larvae and the adult beetles of most species feed on aphids, and for this reason they are very beneficial to agriculture and horticulture. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Same as Ladybird. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) See Ladybird. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. The day of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, March 25. See Annunciation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) A large, handsome oceanic fish (Albula vulpes), found both in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; -- called also bonefish, grubber, French mullet, and macabé. (b) A labroid fish (Harpe rufa) of Florida and the West Indies. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being a lady; the personality of a lady. [ 1913 Webster ]