From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Lady \La"dy\ (l[=a]"d[y^]), n.; pl. {Ladies} (l[=a]"d[i^]z).
[OE. ladi, l[ae]fdi, AS. hl[=ae]fdige, hl[=ae]fdie; AS.
hl[=a]f loaf + a root of uncertain origin, possibly akin to
E. dairy. See {Loaf}, and cf. {Lord}.]
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1. A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family;
a mistress; the female head of a household.
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Agar, the handmaiden of Sara, whence comest thou,
and whither goest thou? The which answered, Fro the
face of Sara my lady. --Wyclif (Gen.
xvi. 8.).
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2. A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress;
-- a feminine correlative of lord. "Lord or lady of high
degree." --Lowell.
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Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, .
. .
We make thee lady. --Shak.
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3. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was
paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a
sweetheart.
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The soldier here his wasted store supplies,
And takes new valor from his lady's eyes. --Waller.
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4. A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a
title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is
not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a
nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or
knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by
right.
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5. A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman;
-- the feminine correlative of {gentleman}.
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6. A wife; -- not now in approved usage. --Goldsmith.
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7. Hence: Any woman; as, a lounge for ladies; a cleaning
lady; also used in combination; as, saleslady.
[PJC]
8. (Zool.) The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a
lobster; -- so called from a fancied resemblance to a
seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates.
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{Ladies' man}, a man who affects the society of ladies.
{Lady altar}, an altar in a lady chapel. --Shipley.
{Lady chapel}, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
{Lady court}, the court of a lady of the manor.
{Lady crab} (Zool.), a handsomely spotted swimming crab
({Platyonichus ocellatus}) very common on the sandy shores
of the Atlantic coast of the United States.
{Lady fern}. (Bot.) See {Female fern}, under {Female}, and
Illust. of {Fern}.
{Lady in waiting}, a lady of the queen's household, appointed
to wait upon or attend the queen.
{Lady Mass}, a Mass said in honor of the Virgin Mary.
--Shipley.
{Lady of the manor}, a lady having jurisdiction of a manor;
also, the wife of a manor lord.
{Lady's maid}, a maidservant who dresses and waits upon a
lady. --Thackeray.
{Our Lady}, the Virgin Mary.
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