maiden

Noun · Adjective

Synonyms: maid maiden over inaugural initiative initiatory first

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)Synonyms: maid
(cricket) an over in which no runs are scoredSynonyms: maiden over

Adjective (1)

serving to set in motion“the magazine's inaugural issue”“the initiative phase in the negotiations”“an initiatory step toward a treaty”“his first (or maiden) speech in Congress”“the liner's maiden voyage”Synonyms: inaugural initiative initiatory first

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Maiden \Maid"en\ (m[=a]d"'n), n. [OE. maiden, meiden, AS. maegden, dim. of AS. maeg[eth], fr. mago son, servant; akin to G. magd, m[aum]dchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. m["o]gr 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. [1913 Webster]

She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of maidens.— Carew.[1913 Webster]

A maiden of our century, yet most meek.— Tennyson.[1913 Webster]

2.A female servant. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

3.An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals. --Wharton. [1913 Webster]

4.A machine for washing linen. [1913 Webster]

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]

Maiden \Maid"en\, v. t. To act coyly like a maiden; -- with it as an indefinite object. [1913 Webster]

For had I maiden'd it, as many use. Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse. --Bp. Hall. [1913 Webster]

Maiden grass, the smaller quaking grass.

Maiden tree. See Ginkgo. [1913 Webster]

The Devil's Dictionary

MAIDEN, n. A young person of the unfair sex addicted to clewless conduct and views that madden to crime. The genus has a wide geographical distribution, being found wherever sought and deplored wherever found. The maiden is not altogether unpleasing to the eye, nor (without her piano and her views) insupportable to the ear, though in respect to comeliness distinctly inferior to the rainbow, and, with regard to the part of her that is audible, bleating out of the field by the canary -- which, also, is more portable.

A lovelorn maiden she sat and sang -- This quaint, sweet song sang she; "It's O for a youth with a football bang And a muscle fair to see! The Captain he Of a team to be! On the gridiron he shall shine, A monarch by right divine, And never to roast on it -- me!" Opoline Jones