[syn: beldam, beldame]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Beldam \Bel"dam\ Beldame \Bel"dame\, n. [Pref. bel-, denoting
relationship + dame mother: cf. F. belledame fair lady, It.
belladonna. See Belle, and Dame.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Grandmother; -- corresponding to belsire.
[1913 Webster]
To show the beldam daughters of her daughter.
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. An old woman in general; especially, an ugly old woman; a
hag.
Syn: hag, beldam, witch, crone.
[1913 Webster]
Around the beldam all erect they hang. --Akenside.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
beldam
n 1: an ugly evil-looking old woman [syn: hag, beldam,
beldame, witch, crone]
2: a woman of advanced age [syn: beldam, beldame]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
91 Moby Thesaurus words for "beldam":
Jezebel, Mafioso, Young Turk, bag, bat, battle-ax, beast, berserk,
berserker, biddy, bitch, bitch-kitty, bomber, brute, cat,
common scold, crone, dame, demon, devil, dowager, drab, dragon,
fiend, fire-eater, firebrand, fishwife, frump, fury, gammer, goon,
gorilla, grandam, grandmother, granny, grimalkin, gunsel, hag,
hardnose, hell-raiser, hellcat, hellhag, hellhound, hellion,
holy terror, hood, hoodlum, hothead, hotspur, incendiary, killer,
mad dog, madcap, matriarch, matron, monster, mugger, old battle-ax,
old dame, old girl, old granny, old lady, old trot, old wife,
old woman, rapist, revolutionary, savage, scold, she-devil,
she-wolf, shrew, siren, spitfire, termagant, terror, terrorist,
tiger, tigress, tough, tough guy, trot, ugly customer, violent,
virago, vixen, war-horse, wild beast, wildcat, witch, wolf