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It is not only important, but, in a degree necessary, that the people of this country, should have an American Dictionary of the English language; for, although the body of the language is the same as in England, and it is desirable to perpetuate that sameness, yet some differences must exist. Language is the expression of ideas; and if the people of one country cannot preserve an identity of ideas, they cannot retain an identity of language. |
MA'IDEN, n.
MA'IDEN, n. A maid; also, an instrument for beheading criminals, and another for washing linen.
MA'IDEN, a. Pertaining to a young woman or virgin; as maiden charms.
MA'IDEN, v.i. To speak and act demurely or modestly.
An unmarried woman; a girl or woman
who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a
maid.
She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of maidens. Carew. A maiden of our century, yet most meek. Tennyson. A female servant.
[Obs.] An instrument resembling the guillotine,
formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.
Wharton. A machine for washing linen.
Of
or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to, or
characteristic of, a virgin; as, maiden innocence.
"Amid
the maiden throng." Addison.
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ? Shak. 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. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure;
hitherto unused.
"Maiden flowers." Shak.
Full bravely hast thou fleshed Used of a fortress, signifying that it has
never been captured, or violated.
T. Warton.
Macaulay.
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. To act coyly like a
maiden; -- with it as an indefinite object.
For had I maiden'd it, as many use. | ||||||||