Lady

Lady, lā′di, n. the mistress of a house: a wife: a title of the wives of knights, and all degrees above them, and of the daughters of earls and all higher ranks: a title of complaisance to any woman of refined manners:—pl. Ladies (lā′diz).—ns. Lā′dybird, a genus of little beetles, usually brilliant red or yellow—also Lā′dybug, Lā′dycow; Lā′dy-chap′el, a chapel dedicated to 'Our Lady,' the Virgin Mary, usually behind the high altar, at the extremity of the apse; Lā′dyday, the 25th March, the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin; Lā′dyfern, one of the prettiest varieties of British ferns, common in moist woods, with bipinnate fronds sometimes two feet long; Lā′dy-fly (same as Ladybird); Lā′dyhood, condition, character of a lady.—adj. Lā′dyish, having the airs of a fine lady.—ns. Lā′dyism, affectation of the airs of a fine lady; Lā′dy-kill′er, a man who fancies his fascinations irresistible to women: a general lover.—adj. Lā′dy-like, like a lady in manners: refined: soft, delicate.—ns. Lādy-love, a lady or woman loved: a sweetheart; Lādy's-bed′straw, the plant Galium verum; Lā′dy's-bow′er, the only British species of clematis—also Traveller's joy; Lā′dy's-fing′er, a name for many plants: a piece of confectionery; Lā′dyship, the title of a lady; Lā′dy's-maid, a female attendant on a lady, esp. in matters relating to the toilet; Lādy's-man′tle, a genus of herbaceous plants having small, yellowish-green flowers; Lā′dy's-slipp′er, a genus of orchidaceous plants, remarkable for the large inflated lip of the corolla; Lā′dy's-smock, the Bitter Cress, a meadow-plant, with whitish, blush-coloured flowers.—Ladies' companion, a small bag used for carrying women's work; Ladies' man, one fond of women's society.—My ladyship, Your ladyship, a form of expression used in speaking to, or of, one who has the rank of a lady. [A.S. hláf-dige—hláf, a loaf, dǽgee, a kneader, or=hláfweardige (i.e. loaf-keeper, see ward), and thus a contr. fem. of Lord.]