MAIDEN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does maiden mean? 

• MAIDEN (noun)
  The noun MAIDEN has 2 senses:

1. an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

2. (cricket) an over in which no runs are scored

  Familiarity information: MAIDEN used as a noun is rare.

• MAIDEN (adjective)
  The adjective MAIDEN has 1 sense:

1. serving to set in motion

  Familiarity information: MAIDEN used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MAIDEN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

maid; maiden

Hypernyms ("maiden" is a kind of...):

fille; girl; miss; missy; young lady; young woman (a young female)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "maiden"):

damoiselle; damosel; damozel; damsel; demoiselle (a young unmarried woman)

Instance hyponyms:

Io ((Greek mythology) a maiden seduced by Zeus; when Hera was about to discover them together Zeus turned her into a white heifer)

Derivation:

maidenhood (the childhood of a girl)

maidenly (befitting or characteristic of a maiden)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(cricket) an over in which no runs are scored

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

maiden; maiden over

Hypernyms ("maiden" is a kind of...):

over ((cricket) the division of play during which six balls are bowled at the batsman by one player from the other team from the same end of the pitch)

Domain category:

cricket (a game played with a ball and bat by two teams of 11 players; teams take turns trying to score runs)

• MAIDEN (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Serving to set in motion

Synonyms:

first; inaugural; initiative; initiatory; maiden

Context example:

the liner's maiden voyage

Similar:

opening (first or beginning)

 Context examples 

Here we may take it that there is a love matter, but that the maiden is not so much angry as perplexed, or grieved.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Yet he walked with his chin upon his shoulder, until, catching sight of a maiden by a wayside well, the smiles came back to his face and peace to his heart.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I—have thought about them," Ruth confessed, remembering the wanton thoughts that had vexed her in the past, her face again red with maiden shame that she should be telling such things.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

If he does, I will go back to the Munchkin maiden and marry her.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Then the king’s daughter thanked him, and said to her maidens: “Show some strength, and step firmly on the peas.”

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Well, here I am to-night, hoping for sleep, and lying like Ophelia in the play, with "virgin crants and maiden strewments."

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I don't think I shall care to have much to do with any of them, except one sweetfaced maiden lady, who looks as if she had something in her.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Dennin shuffled his feet on the barrel, looked down bashfully like a man making his maiden speech, and cleared his throat.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“I wonder, since you are both maiden ladies, that you do not keep house together.”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Also, that she had no other relations than two aunts, maiden sisters of Mr. Spenlow, who lived at Putney, and who had not held any other than chance communication with their brother for many years.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)