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Word Study
Widow
CIDE DICTIONARY
Widow, n. [OE. widewe, widwe, AS. weoduwe, widuwe, wuduwe; akin to OFries. widwe, OS. widowa, D. weduwe, G. wittwe, witwe, OHG. wituwa, witawa, Goth. widuw, Russ. udova, OIr. fedb, W. gweddw, L. vidua, Skr. vidhavā; and probably to Skr. vidh to be empty, to lack; cf. Gr. "hi`qeos a bachelor. Vidual.].
- A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married again; one living bereaved of a husband. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
- In various games (such as “hearts”), any extra hand or part of a hand, as one dealt to the table. It may be taken by one of the players under certain circumstances. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Widow, a.
Widowed. Shak. [1913 Webster]
Widow, v. t.
- To reduce to the condition of a widow; to bereave of a husband; -- rarely used except in the past participle. [1913 Webster]"Though in thus city he
Hath widowed and unchilded many a one,
Which to this hour bewail the injury." [1913 Webster] - To deprive of one who is loved; to strip of anything beloved or highly esteemed; to make desolate or bare; to bereave. [1913 Webster]"The widowed isle, in mourning,
Dries up her tears." [1913 Webster]"Tress of their shriveled fruits
Are widowed, dreary storms o'er all prevail." [1913 Webster]"Mourn, widowed queen; forgotten Sion, mourn." [1913 Webster] - To endow with a widow's right. Shak. [1913 Webster]
- To become, or survive as, the widow of. [1913 Webster]"Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow
them all." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Widow, n. & v.
--n.
1 a woman who has lost her husband by death and has not married again.
2 a woman whose husband is often away on a specified activity (golf widow).
3 extra cards dealt separately and taken by the highest bidder.
4 Printing the short last line of a paragraph at the top of a page or column.
--v.tr.
1 make into a widow or widower.
2 (as widowed adj.) bereft by the death of a spouse (my widowed mother).
3 (foll. by of) deprive of.
--n.
1 a woman who has lost her husband by death and has not married again.
2 a woman whose husband is often away on a specified activity (golf widow).
3 extra cards dealt separately and taken by the highest bidder.
4 Printing the short last line of a paragraph at the top of a page or column.
--v.tr.
1 make into a widow or widower.
2 (as widowed adj.) bereft by the death of a spouse (my widowed mother).
3 (foll. by of) deprive of.
Idiom
widow-bird a whydah. widow's cruse an apparently small supply that proves or seems inexhaustible (see
1 Kgs. 17:10-16). widow's mite a small money contribution (see Mark 12:42). widow's peak a V-shaped growth of hair towards the centre of the forehead. widow's weeds see WEEDS.
1 Kgs. 17:10-16). widow's mite a small money contribution (see Mark 12:42). widow's peak a V-shaped growth of hair towards the centre of the forehead. widow's weeds see WEEDS.
Etymology
OE widewe, rel. to OHG wituwa, Skr. vidh{aacute}va, L viduus bereft, widowed, Gk eitheos unmarried man
DEVIL DICTIONARY
Widow
n. A pathetic figure that the Christian world has agreed to take humorously, although Christ's tenderness towards widows was one of the most marked features of his character.ROGET THESAURUS
Widow
Divorce
N divorce, divorcement, separation, judicial separation, separate maintenance, separatio a mensa et thoro, separatio a vinculo matrimonii, trial separation, breakup, annulment, widowhood, viduity, weeds, widow, widower, relict, dowager, divorcee, cuckold, grass widow, grass widower, merry widow.Also see definition of "Widow" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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