From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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.
[1913 Webster]
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ? --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
3. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.
"Maiden flowers." --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Full bravely hast thou fleshed
Thy maiden sword. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
4. Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been
captured, or violated. -- T. Warton. Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
{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.
{maiden voyage} the first regular service voyage of a ship.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
maiden name
n 1: a woman's surname before marriage
|
