woman

n.; pl. Women [ OE. woman, womman, wumman, wimman, wifmon, AS. wīfmann, wīmmann; wīf woman, wife + mann a man. See Wife, and Man. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. An adult female person; a grown-up female person, as distinguished from a man or a child; sometimes, any female person. [ 1913 Webster ]

Women are soft, mild pitiful, and flexible. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman. Gen. ii. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have observed among all nations that the women ornament themselves more than the men; that, wherever found, they are the same kind, civil, obliging, humane, tender beings, inclined to be gay and cheerful, timorous and modest. J. Ledyard. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The female part of the human race; womankind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Man is destined to be a prey to woman. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A female attendant or servant. “ By her woman I sent your message.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Woman hater, one who hates women; one who has an aversion to the female sex; a misogynist. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. Womanhood. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state of being a woman; the distinguishing character or qualities of a woman, or of womankind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Unspotted faith, and comely womanhood. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Perhaps the smile and the tender tone
Came out of her pitying womanhood. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Women, collectively; womankind. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. Same as womanize. [ Chiefly Brit. ] [ PJC ]

a. Suitable to a woman, having the qualities of a woman; effeminate; not becoming a man; -- usually in a reproachful sense. See the Note under Effeminate. “ Thy tears are womanish.” Shak. “ Womanish entreaties.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

A voice not soft, weak, piping, and womanish, but audible, strong, and manlike. Ascham. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Wom"an*ish*ly, adv. -- Wom"an*ish*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make like a woman; to make effeminate. [ Obs. ] V. Knox. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To seek the company of women with unusual frequency, especially for purposes of sexual intimacy.
Syn. -- womanise. [ PJC ]

n. One who womanizes; a philanderer. [ PJC ]