Ladies - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

la·dy

Audio Help [ley-dee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -dies, adjective

–noun

1.	a woman who is refined, polite, and well-spoken: She may be poor and have little education, but she's a real lady.

2.	a woman of high social position or economic class: She was born a lady and found it hard to adjust to her reduced circumstances.

3.	any woman; female (sometimes used in combination): the lady who answered the phone; a saleslady.

4.	(Used in direct address: often offensive in the singular): Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Lady, out of my way, please.

5.	wife: The ambassador and his lady arrived late.

6.	Slang. a female lover or steady companion.

7.	(initial capital letter) (in Great Britain) the proper title of any woman whose husband is higher in rank than baronet or knight, or who is the daughter of a nobleman not lower than an earl (although the title is given by courtesy also to the wives of baronets and knights).

8.	a woman who has proprietary rights or authority, as over a manor; female feudal superior. Compare lord (def. 4).

9.	(initial capital letter) the Virgin Mary.

10.	a woman who is the object of chivalrous devotion.

11.

(usually initial capital letter

)

a.	an attribute or abstraction personified as a woman; a designation of an allegorical figure as feminine: Lady Fortune; Lady Virtue.

b.	a title prefixed to the name of a goddess: Lady Venus.

–adjective

12.	Sometimes Offensive. being a lady; female: a lady reporter.

13.	of a lady; ladylike; feminine.

[Origin: bef. 900; ME ladi(e), earlier lavedi, OE hlǣfdīge, hlǣfdige, perh. orig. meaning “loaf-kneader,” equiv. to hlāf loaf + -dīge, -dige, var. of dǣge kneader (see dough; cf. ON deigja maid); see lord

]

—Related forms

la·dy·hood, noun

la·dy·ish, adjective

la·dy·ish·ly, adverb

la·dy·ish·ness, noun

la·dy·less, adjective

—Usage note In the meanings “refined, polite woman” and “woman of high social position” the noun lady is the parallel of gentleman. As forms of address, both nouns are used in the plural (Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your cooperation), but only lady occurs in the singular. Except in chivalrous, literary, or similar contexts (Lady, spurn me not), this singular is now usually perceived as rude or at least insensitive: Where do you want the new air conditioner, lady? Although lady is still found in phrases or compounds referring to occupation or the like (cleaning lady; forelady; saleslady), this use seems to be diminishing. The use of lady as a modifier (lady doctor; lady artist) suggests that it is unusual to find a woman in the role specified. Many women are offended by this use, and it too is becoming less common.
An approach that is increasingly followed is to avoid specifying the sex of the performer or practitioner. Person or a sex-neutral term can be substituted for lady, as cleaner for cleaning lady, supervisor for forelady, and salesperson or salesclerk for saleslady. When circumstances make it relevant to specify sex, woman not lady is used, the parallel term being man: Men doctors outnumber women doctors on the hospital staff by more than three to one. See also -person, -woman.

—Synonyms See woman.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Ladies

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

la·dy Audio Help (lā'dē) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. la·dies

A well-mannered and considerate woman with high standards of proper behavior.
1. A woman regarded as proper and virtuous.
2. A well-behaved young girl.
3. A woman to whom a man is romantically attached.
4. Informal A wife.
5. Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.
6. Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness, or baronetess.
7. Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron.
8. Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an earl.
9. Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquis.
A woman who is the head of a household.
A woman, especially when spoken of or to in a polite way.
1. A woman to whom a man is romantically attached.
2. Informal A wife.
3. Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.
4. Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness, or baronetess.
5. Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron.
6. Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an earl.
7. Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquis.
Lady Chiefly British A general feminine title of nobility and other rank, specifically:
1. Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.
2. Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness, or baronetess.
3. Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron.
4. Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an earl.
5. Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquis.
Lady The Virgin Mary. Usually used with Our.
Slang Cocaine.

[Middle English, mistress of a household, from Old English hlǣfdige; see dheigh- in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: Lady is normally used as a parallel to gentleman to emphasize norms expected in polite society or in situations requiring courtesies: Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. I believe the lady in front of the counter was here before me. The attributive use of lady, as in lady doctor, is offensive and outdated. When the sex of the person is relevant, the preferred modifier is woman or female. Twice as many members of the Usage Panel in our 1994 survey preferred female and male to woman and man as modifiers in the sentence President Clinton interviewed both ______ and ______ candidates for the position of Attorney General.