From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Lady \La"dy\ (l[=a]"d[y^]), noun; 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}.]
1. A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family; a mistress; the female head of a household.
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.).
2. A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress; -- a feminine correlative of lord. ''Lord or lady of high degree.'' --Lowell.
Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, . . . We make thee lady. --Shak.
3. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a sweetheart.
The soldier here his wasted store supplies, And takes new valor from his lady's eyes. --Waller.
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.
5. A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman; -- the feminine correlative of {gentleman}.
6. A wife; -- not now in approved usage. --Goldsmith.
7. Hence: Any woman; as, a lounge for ladies; a cleaning lady; also used in combination; as, saleslady. [PJC]
8. (Zo["o]l.) 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.
{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} (Zo["o]l.), 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.
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