Maid"en (?), n. [OE. maiden,
meiden, AS. mægden, dim. of AS.
mæg?, fr. mago son, servant; akin to G.
magd, mädchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel.
mögr son, Goth. magus boy, child, magaps
virgin, and perh. to Zend. magu youth. Cf. Maid a
virgin.] 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.
Maid"en, 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.
Maid"en, v. t. 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.