Maid"en (?), n. [OE. maiden, meiden, AS. maegden, dim. of AS. maeg, fr. mago son, servant; akin to G. magd, madchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. mogr 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.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913. | 
