Damsel

Damsel
Damsel Dam"sel (d[a^]m"z[e^]l), n. [OE. damosel, damesel, damisel, damsel, fr. OF. damoisele, damisele, gentlewoman, F. demoiselle young lady; cf. OF. damoisel young nobleman, F. damoiseau; fr. LL. domicella, dominicella, fem., domicellus, dominicellus, masc., dim. fr. L. domina, dominus. See {Dame}, and cf. {Demoiselle}, {Doncella}.] 1. A young person, either male or female, of noble or gentle extraction; as, Damsel Pepin; Damsel Richard, Prince of Wales. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

2. A young unmarried woman; a girl; a maiden. [1913 Webster]

With her train of damsels she was gone, In shady walks the scorching heat to shun. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad, . . . Goes by to towered Camelot. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

3. (Milling) An attachment to a millstone spindle for shaking the hopper. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • damsel — late 12c., from O.Fr. dameisele woman of noble birth (Mod.Fr. demoiselle young lady ), modified (by association with dame) from earlier donsele, from Gallo Romance *domnicella, dim. of L. domina lady (see DAME (Cf. dame)). Archaic until revived… …   Etymology dictionary

  • damsel — [n] maiden colleen, lady, lass, lassie, miss, virgin, woman, young girl, young woman; concepts 414,415 …   New thesaurus

  • damsel — ► NOUN archaic or literary ▪ a young unmarried woman. ORIGIN Old French dameisele, from Latin domina mistress …   English terms dictionary

  • damsel — [dam′zəl] n. [damesele < OFr dameisele < VL * dominicella, dim. of L domina: see DAME] Now Literary a girl; maiden …   English World dictionary

  • damsel —    A damsel was originally a young unmarried lady of noble birth, but soon after the introduction of the word from French it appears to have taken on the general meaning of ‘young woman’, ‘a country lass’. In French the word demoiselle was… …   A dictionary of epithets and terms of address

  • damsel — UK [ˈdæmz(ə)l] / US noun [countable] Word forms damsel : singular damsel plural damsels an old word for a young woman who is not married • a damsel in distress …   English dictionary

  • damsel — [[t]dæ̱mz(ə)l[/t]] damsels N COUNT A damsel is a young, unmarried woman. [LITERARY, OLD FASHIONED] He keeps coming to the aid of this damsel in distress. Syn: maiden …   English dictionary

  • damsel — dam|sel [ˈdæmzəl] n old use [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: dameisele, from Latin domina lady of high rank ] 1.) a young woman who is not married 2.) damsel in distress a young woman who needs help or protection used humorously …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • damsel — dam|sel [ dæmzl ] noun count an old word for a young woman who is not married a damsel in distress HUMOROUS a woman who is in trouble and needs help …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • damsel — noun (C) 1 old use a young woman who is not married 2 damsel in distress humorous a young woman who needs help or protection …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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