MAIDING

MAID

Maid, n. Etym: [Shortened from maiden. . See Maiden.]

1. An unmarried woman; usually, a young unmarried woman; esp., a girl; a virgin; a maiden. Would I had died a maid, And never seen thee, never borne thee son. Shak. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire Yet my people have forgotten me. Jer. ii. 32.

2. A man who has not had sexual intercourse. [Obs.] Christ was a maid and shapen as a man. Chaucer.

3. A female servant. Spinning amongst her maids. Shak.

Note: Maid is used either adjectively or in composition, signifying female, as in maid child, maidservant.

4. (Zoöl.)

Definition: The female of a ray or skate, esp. of the gray skate (Raia batis), and of the thornback (R. clavata). [Prov. Eng.] Fair maid. (Zoöl.) See under Fair, a.

– Maid of honor, a female attendant of a queen or royal princess; - - usually of noble family, and having to perform only nominal or honorary duties.

– Old maid. See under Old.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition