Lady in waiting

Lady in waiting
Lady La"dy (l[=a]"d[y^]), n.; pl. {Ladies} (l[=a]"d[i^]z). [OE. ladi, l[ae]fdi, AS. hl[=ae]fdige, hl[=ae]fdie; AS. hl[=a]f loaf + a root of uncertain origin, possibly akin to E. dairy. See {Loaf}, and cf. {Lord}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family; a mistress; the female head of a household. [1913 Webster]

Agar, the handmaiden of Sara, whence comest thou, and whither goest thou? The which answered, Fro the face of Sara my lady. --Wyclif (Gen. xvi. 8.). [1913 Webster]

2. A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress; -- a feminine correlative of lord. ``Lord or lady of high degree.'' --Lowell. [1913 Webster]

Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, . . . We make thee lady. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a sweetheart. [1913 Webster]

The soldier here his wasted store supplies, And takes new valor from his lady's eyes. --Waller. [1913 Webster]

4. A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by right. [1913 Webster]

5. A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman; -- the feminine correlative of {gentleman}. [1913 Webster]

6. A wife; -- not now in approved usage. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]

7. Hence: Any woman; as, a lounge for ladies; a cleaning lady; also used in combination; as, saleslady. [PJC]

8. (Zo["o]l.) The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster; -- so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates. [1913 Webster]

{Ladies' man}, a man who affects the society of ladies.

{Lady altar}, an altar in a lady chapel. --Shipley.

{Lady chapel}, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

{Lady court}, the court of a lady of the manor.

{Lady crab} (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely spotted swimming crab ({Platyonichus ocellatus}) very common on the sandy shores of the Atlantic coast of the United States.

{Lady fern}. (Bot.) See {Female fern}, under {Female}, and Illust. of {Fern}.

{Lady in waiting}, a lady of the queen's household, appointed to wait upon or attend the queen.

{Lady Mass}, a Mass said in honor of the Virgin Mary. --Shipley.

{Lady of the manor}, a lady having jurisdiction of a manor; also, the wife of a manor lord.

{Lady's maid}, a maidservant who dresses and waits upon a lady. --Thackeray.

{Our Lady}, the Virgin Mary. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • lady-in-waiting — n. a lady appointed to attend to a queen or princess. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lady-in-waiting — [lād′ēin wāt′iŋ] n. pl. ladies in waiting a lady of the court attending, or waiting upon, a queen or princess …   English World dictionary

  • lady in waiting — lady in waiting, or la|dy in wait|ing «LAY dee ihn WAY tihng», plural ladies in waiting, la|dies in wait|ing. a lady of the royal household who accompanies or serves a queen or princess …   Useful english dictionary

  • lady-in-waiting — plural ladies in waiting n a woman who looks after and serves a queen or ↑princess …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • lady-in-waiting — (plural ,ladies in waiting) noun count a woman whose job is to look after a queen or princess …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • lady-in-waiting — ► NOUN (pl. ladies in waiting) ▪ a woman who attends a queen or princess …   English terms dictionary

  • Lady-in-waiting — For the 1976 album, see Lady in Waiting (album). For the 1957 novel, see Lady in Waiting (novel). Princess Marie Louise of Savoy was lady in waiting to Marie Antoinette of France. A lady in waiting …   Wikipedia

  • Lady in Waiting — Infobox Album | Name = Lady in Waiting Type = Album Artist = The Outlaws Released = 1976 Recorded = ??? Genre = Southern Rock Length = 40:51 Label = Arista Producer = Paul A. Rothchild Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|3|5… …   Wikipedia

  • lady-in-waiting — noun a lady appointed to attend to a queen or princess • Hypernyms: ↑Lady, ↑noblewoman, ↑peeress * * * ˌlady in ˈwaiting [lady in waiting ladies in waiting] …   Useful english dictionary

  • lady-in-waiting — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms lady in waiting : singular lady in waiting plural ladies in waiting a woman whose job is to look after a queen or princess …   English dictionary

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