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(), n.[OE. maiden, meiden, AS. mgden, dim. of AS. mg, fr. mago son, servant; akin to G. magd, mdchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. mgr son, Goth. magus boy, child, magaps virgin, and perh. to Zend. magu youth. Cf. Maid a virgin.] 1. An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid. She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of maidens. Carew. A maiden of our century, yet most meek. Tennyson. 2. A female servant. [Obs.] 3. An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals. Wharton. 4. A machine for washing linen. 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. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ? Shak. 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. 3. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused. "Maiden flowers." Shak. Full bravely hast thou fleshed Thy maiden sword. Shak. 4. Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been captured, or violated. T. Warton. Macaulay. 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 Maid"en v. t.To act coyly like a maiden; -- with it as an indefinite object. For had I maiden'd it, as many use. Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse. Bp. Hall. スポンサード リンク
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