Spinster

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. A woman who spins, or whose occupation is to spin. She spake to spinster to spin it out. Piers Plowman. The spinsters and the knitters in the sun. Shak.

2. A man who spins. [Obs.] Shak.

3. An unmarried or single woman; -- used in legal proceedings as a title, or addition to the surname. If a gentlewoman be termed a spinster, she may abate the writ. Coke.

4. A woman of evil life and character; -- so called from being forced to spin in a house of correction. [Obs.]