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of a family, a school, etc. The late queen's gentlewoman! a knight's daughter! To be her mistress' mistress! Shak.

Female rule or dominion.

A woman who governs and teaches a school; a female school- teacher.

over; a gallant. [R.] Milton. It was the custom for an amorist to impress the name of his mistress in the dust, or upon the damp earth, with letters fixed upon his shoe. Southey.

Favoring; favorable; propitious; -- applied to persons or things. "Thy auspicious mistress." Shak. "Auspicious gales." Pope.

favor; stead; benefit; interest; profit; support; defense; vindication. In behalf of his mistress's beauty. Sir P. Sidney. Against whom he had contracted some prejudice in behalf of his nation. Clarendon. In behalf of, in the interest of. -- On behalf of, on account of; on the part of.

ing; without thought, investigation, knowledge, or purpose of one's own. By his imperious mistress blindly led. Dryden.

To breathe hard or quick; to pant; to puff. Here is Mistress Page at the door, sweating and blowing. Shak.

ng); occupied with serious affairs; not idle nor at leisure; as, a busy merchant. Sir, my mistress sends you word THat she is busy, and she can not come. Shak.

-- esp. used of reputation or character. I would not be a stander-by to hear My sovereign mistress clouded so, without My present vengeance taken. Shak.

The mistress or sweetheart of Harlequin in pantomimes. Brewer.

Serviceable; helpful. [Obs.] Be comfortable to my mother, your mistress, and make much of her. Shak.

emies, but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends. Bacon. Go to your mistress: Say, I command her come to me. Shak.

To qualify as a companion; to make equal. [Obs.] Companion me with my mistress. Shak.

fullness, or ill humor; as, a cross man or woman. He had received a cross answer from his mistress. Jer. Taylor.

t the end of a sleeve; the part of a sleeve turned back from the hand. He would visit his mistress in a morning gown, band,short cuffs, and a peaked beard. Arbuthnot.

y. Shak. To make dainty, to assume or affect delicacy or fastidiousness. [Obs.] Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all Will now deny to dance She that makes dainty, She, I'll swear, hath corns. Shak.

A mistress of a family, who is a lady; a womam in authority; especially, a lady. Then shall these lords do vex me half so much, As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. Shak.

'tis time to dance off. Thackeray. More dances my rapt heart Than when I first my wedded mistress saw. Shak. Shadows in the glassy waters dance. Byron. Where rivulets dance their wayward round. Wordsworth. To dance on a rope, or To dance on nothing, to be hanged.

At a high rate or price; grievously. He buys his mistress dearly with his throne. Dryden.