Category:Widow

Wid"ow, n. Etym: [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. vidhava; and probably to skr. vidh to be empty, to lack; Cf. Gr. Vidual.]

Defn: a woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married Again; one living bereaved of a husband. "a poor widow." Chaucer. Grass widow. See under grass. -- widow bewitched, a woman separated from her husband; a grass Widow. [colloq.] Widow-in-mourning (zoöl.), the macavahu. -- widow monkey (zoöl.), a small south american monkey (callithrix Lugens); -- so called on account of its color, which is black except The dull whitish arms, neck, and face, and a ring of pure white Around the face. -- widow's chamber (eng. Law), in london, the apparel and furniture Of the bedchamber of the widow of a freeman, to which she was Formerly entitled.

Widow Wid"ow, a.

Defn: widowed. "a widow woman." 1 kings xvii. 9. "this widow lady." Shak.

Widow Wid"ow, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Widowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Widowing.]

1. To reduce to the condition of a widow; to bereave of a husband; -- Rarely used except in the past participle. Though in thus city he hath widowed and unchilded many a one, which To this hour bewail the injury. Shak.

2. To deprive of one who is loved; to strip of anything beloved or Highly esteemed; to make desolate or bare; to bereave. The widowed isle, in mourning, dries up her tears. Dryden. Tress of their shriveled fruits are widowed, dreary storms o'er all Prevail. J. Philips. Mourn, widowed queen; forgotten sion, mourn. Heber.

3. To endow with a widow's right. [r.] Shak.

4. To become, or survive as, the widow of. [obs.] Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all. Shak.