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wife, or (a woman) to a man as her husband. See the Note to def. 4. A woman who had been married to her twenty-fifth husband, and being now a widow, was prohibited to marry. Evelyn.

Of or pertaining to a matron; suitable to an elderly lady or to a married woman; grave; motherly.

A title of courtesy prefixed to the name of a girl or a woman who has not been married. See Mistress, 5.

A title of courtesy formerly prefixed to the name of a woman, married or unmarried, but now superseded by the contracted forms, Mrs., for a married, and Miss, for an unmarried, woman. Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul). Cowper.

Such things, in respect to infants, lunatics, and married women, as are requisite for support suitable to station.

Born; -- a term sometimes used in introducing the name of the family to which a married woman belongs by birth; as, Madame de Staël, née Necker.

A person recently married.

(Mormo maura). -- Old maid. (a) A woman, somewhat advanced in years, who has never been married; a spinster. (b) (Bot.) A West Indian name for the pink- flowered periwinkle (Vinca rosea). (c) A simple game of cards, played by matching them. The person with whom the odd card is left is the old maid. -- Old man's bear…

Single; inmarried. [Obs.] Men may counsel a woman to be one. Chaucer.

A married couple; a man and wife. "A happy pair." Dryden. "The hapless pair." Milton.

Of or pertaining to the Spartan Partheniæ, or sons of unmarried women.

A woman; a young or unmarried woman; a girl. [Obs. or Scot.] Chaucer.

rmons, to confirm or set apart as a second or additional wife. [Utah, U.S.] If a man once married desires a second helpmate . . . she is sealed to him under the solemn sanction of the church. H. Stansbury.

ere detected in spite of their secrecy. The Lady Anne, Whom the king hath in secrecy long married. Shak.

parate spirit; the separate state of souls. Separate estate (Law), an estate limited to a married woman independent of her husband. -- Separate maintenance (Law), an allowance made to a wife by her husband under deed of separation. -- Sep"a*rate*ly, adv. -- Sep"a*rate*ness, n.

To enter into the married state, or the state of a householder. As people marry now and settle. Prior.

Hence, unmarried; as, a single man or woman. Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness. Shak. Single chose to live, and shunned to wed. Dryden.

The fillet which binds the hair of a young unmarried woman, and is emblematic of her maiden character. [Scot.] And seldom was a snood amid Such wild, luxuriant ringlets hid. Sir W. Scott.

Single; unmarried; as, a feme sole. Corporation sole. See the Note under Corporation.

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.