Maiden name

Maiden name
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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • maiden name — maiden names N COUNT: usu poss N A married woman s maiden name is her parents surname, which she used before she got married and started using her husband s surname. Syn: married name …   English dictionary

  • maiden name — n a woman s family name before she got married and started using her husband s family name →married name …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • maiden name — maiden ,name noun count a woman s original family name when she is married and uses her husband s family name instead …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • maiden name — ► NOUN ▪ the surname of a married woman before her marriage …   English terms dictionary

  • maiden name — n. the surname that a married woman had before marrying: now used chiefly with regard to a woman who has adopted her husband s surname …   English World dictionary

  • maiden name — noun a woman s surname before marriage • Hypernyms: ↑surname, ↑family name, ↑cognomen, ↑last name * * * noun, pl ⋯ names [count] : a woman s family name before she is married After she divorced, she took back her maiden name. * * * ˈmaiden name …   Useful english dictionary

  • maiden name — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms maiden name : singular maiden name plural maiden names a woman s original family name when she is married and uses her husband s family name instead …   English dictionary

  • maiden name — noun A married womans original last name; her name when she was a maiden …   Wiktionary

  • maiden name — (Roget s IV) n. Syn. family name, inherited name, surname, cognomen; see name 1 …   English dictionary for students

  • ˈmaiden ˌname — noun [C] the original family name of a woman who uses her husband s family name now …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

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