Maiden

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. 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.

2. A female servant. [Obs.]

3. An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals. Wharton.

4. A machine for washing linen.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To act coyly like a maiden; -- with it as an indefinite object. For had I maiden'd it, as many use. Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse. Bp. Hall.

Part of speech: adjective (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. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame Shak.

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.

3. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused. "Maiden flowers.' Shak. Full bravely hast thou fleshed Thy maiden sword. Shak.

4. 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.