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maiden

Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Maiden \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.

Maiden \Maid"en\, n. [OE. maiden, meiden, AS. m[ae]gden, dim. of
   AS. m[ae]g?, fr. mago son, servant; akin to G. magd,
   m["a]dchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. m["o]gr 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.

Maiden \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.

Source : WordNet®

maiden
     adj : serving to set in motion; "the magazine's inaugural issue";
           "the initiative phase in the negotiations"; "an
           initiatory step toward a treaty"; "his first (or
           maiden) speech in Congress"; "the liner's maiden
           voyage" [syn: {inaugural}, {initiative}, {initiatory},
           {first}]

maiden
     n 1: an unmarried girl (especially a virgin) [syn: {maid}]
     2: (cricket) an over in which no runs are scored [syn: {maiden
        over}]
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