Widow sb.¹

Forms: α. 1 widuwe, 1–5 widewe, wydewe, 1, 4 widwe, 3 (Orm.) widdwe, 3–6 widue, 4 widu (pl. widuen, -uus, -us), wydw, pl. widos, 4–5 wydue, wydwe, 4–6 wydow(e, Sc. widou, 4–7 widowe, 5 wydew, wyddo, widw, 5–6 wydo, 5 (6 Sc.) vidue, 6 wyddow(e, (vidoy), Sc. vidow, -ou(e, 6–7 widdowe, 7–8 widdow, 9 dial. or vulgar widda, widder, widdy, 4– widow. β. 1 weodewe, 4 Sc. wedoue, vedo, 4–5 wedewe, wedu, 4–6 wedew, wedow, wedou, 5 wedw(e, wedue, Sc. wedeu, wedaw, 5 (6 Sc.) wedo, 5–6 wedowe, weddow(e, (6 wedoo, Sc. vedou, weido, gen. wedvis). γ. 1 wudewe, -uwe, 4 wodow, 4–5 wodewe (4 pl. -en, -on). [OE. widewe, widuwe, wuduwe wk, fem. = OFris. widwe (Fris. weduwe, widewia, wudu), OS. widowa (MLG., LG. wedewe, -uwe, MDu. weduwe, -ewe, Du. weduw(e, weeuw), OHG. wituwa, -awa, (MHG. witewe, G. wittwe), Goth. widuwô: orig. an Indo-European adj. formation *widhewo-, -wā on the base widh- to be empty, be separated (Skr. vidh to be destitute, lack, cf. L. dī-videre to divide); cf. Skr. vidhavā widow, Pers. bēva, Gr. ἠίθεος unmarried man, L. viduus bereft, void, widowed (fem. vidua widow, whence F. veuve, It. vedova, Sp. viuda, Pg. viuva), OPruss. widdewu, OSl. vĭdova (Russ. vdova), W. gwedw, OIr. fedb, Cornish gueden.]

  1.  A woman whose husband is dead (and who has not married again); a wife bereaved of her husband.

  Hempen widow: see HEMPEN a. 1 b.

  α.  c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, cviii[i]. 9. Sien bearn his asteapte & wif his widwe.

c. 1100.  O. E. Chron. (MS. D), an. 975. [Hi] wydewan bestryþtan oft & ʓelome.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 115. He scal biwerian widewan and steopbern.

  c. 1200.  Ormin, 7998. An weppmann & an widdwe.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 10. To helpen widewen & federlease children.

c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., 329/222. Ane holie wydewe.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 6787. Widues [Gött. Wydw; Fairf. widow; Trin. widewe] ne barns faderles Do yee na wrang. Ibid., 6793. Widus sall i mak your wifes.

1323.  Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1904), 1. I, Rose Wrytell, wydue, sumtyme the wyf of William ffayrstede, Clerk.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 5521. Many a wydewe þar was mad, And many child faderles.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 313. Al be she mayde or wydwe or elles wyf.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xli. 61. I haue beyn a wyddo this threscore yere.

c. 1450.  Mirk’s Festial, 32. A wydow þat het Drusyan, lay ded on bere.

1519–29.  Lincoln Wills (1914), I. 81. I Jane scheffelde of Croxby vidoy.

1526.  Tindale, Matt. xxiii. 14. Ye devoure widdowes houses. Ibid., Mark xii. 43. This povre widowe hath cast moare in, then all they which have caste into the treasury.

1533.  Gau, Richt Vay (S.T.S.), 68. Christ rasit wp ane vidous sone.

1540.  Test. Ebor. (Surtees), VI. 127. If she kepe her widue … or if she forton to marie.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 222. Nathir soulde a Vidue be compelled a thousand pace ouer her awne dores to ansuer to the Lawes. Ibid., II. 240. Marie … vidow to the duik of Longouaile.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., III. ii. 233. Both heere, and hence, pursue me lasting strife, If once a Widdow, euer I be Wife. Ibid. (1607), Cor., II. i. 196. The Widowes … And Mothers that lacke Sonnes.

1684.  Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 168. The Cake that the Widdow gave to the Prophet.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., xviii. II. 79. Constantia … remained the widow of the vanquished Licinius.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xx. Take example by your father, my boy, and be wery careful o’ widders.

1877.  Gilbert, Sorcerer, II. No saucy minx and giddy … But a clean and tidy widdy.

1897.  Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 466. In Calabar … all the widows of a dead man are subjected to ordeal.

  β.  c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. (Th.), cxlv[i]. 8 [9]. Þa elðeodiʓan ealle Drihten lustum healdeð, and lif ʓeofeð weodewum wencelum, he hiom wel onfehð.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, v. (Johannes), 226. Þat vedo can hym mene. Ibid., xxi. (Clement), 112. Þis wedou.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 433. Wedewis & nedy men.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 3481. Wyues made wedowys, & wayling for euer.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour, lxx. Maydenes and wedues.

1476.  Exch. Rolls Scot., VIII. 344, note. Till oure pure wedeu and beidwoman Marioun of Corry.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xxxv. 34. Jonet the weido.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, lx. 210. He dystroyeth … wedous & orphelyns.

1562.  Winȝet, Cert. Tractates, § 57 Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 112. Ȝoung wedowis quha had wowit continence.

1583.  Leg. Bp. St. Androis, 28. The sillie wedew.

  γ.  c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke ii. 37. Heo wæs wudewe oð feower & hundeahtatiʓ ʓeara. Ibid., iv. 25. Maneʓa wuldewan wæron on helias daʓum.

1340.  Ayenb., 48. Þe þridde [kind of adultery] is of man sengle mid wodewe oþer ayeward. Ibid., 225. Wodewehod … is a stat þet zaynte paul prayzeþ moche þet zayþ to wodewon [etc.].

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., xliv. 172 (Harl. MS.). iij. wodewis wer I-left bihinde.

  b.  Law. King’s widow: see quot. 1607.

1540.  Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 46 § 25. The said maister … shalhave auctoritie by this acte to survey all the Kinges widowes … that have maried them selfis without the Kinges licence … for their reasonable fynes to be made to the Kinges use.

1607.  Cowell, Interpr., s.v., The widow of the King, or the Kings widow … is that widow, which after her husbands death being the Kings tenent in capite, is driuen to recouer her Dower by a writ De dote assignanda.… It appeareth that other common Lords haue the same power ouer their widowes, touching their consent, in their mariage, that the King hath.

  c.  Prefixed as a title to the name. Now chiefly dial. or vulgar.

1576.  Foxe, A. & M. (ed. 3), 1981/1. Widowe Swayne.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., II. i. 76. Not since widdow Dido’s time.

1636.  in Parish Bks. St. Julian’s, Shrewsbury, I. 20 (MS.). Received for a Restall of Widdow Crosse 6/8.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., viii. The Laird … was ashamed to tax too highly the miserable means of support which remained to the widow Butler.

1835.  J. Poole, Sk. & Recoll., I 82. The cold and hot baths kept by Widow Sniggerston, No. 14, Market Square.

1882.  Mrs. Riddell, Pr. Wales’s Gard.-Party, ii. Once, when overtaken by a thunder-storm, she sought refuge in widow Harting’s cottage.

  d.  In extended sense: A wife separated from or deserted by her husband; esp. in colloq. or dial. phr. a widow bewitched. Also in other allusive uses: see quot. 1908, college widow s.v. COLLEGE sb. 9 b, GRASS WIDOW.

1461.  Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 74. I pray you socour my wif, for she is wedow yet for me.

1725.  Bailey, Erasm. Colloq. (1878), I. 259. Divorc’d from your Husband; a Widow, nay, to live, a Widow bewitcht, worse than a Widow.

1863.  Mrs. Gaskell, Sylvia’s Lovers, xxxix. Who’d ha’ thought of yo’r husband, him as was so slow and sure,… making a moonlight flitting, and leaving yo’ to be a widow bewitched!

1901.  ‘Zack,’ Dunstable Weir, 283. Martha Barnaby … was a widdy by will, her man bein’ friendly to furren parts.

1908.  Westm. Gaz., 29 June, 2/2. Has Mr. Balfour never heard of the Golf Widow? The husband who goes away for a weekend to play golf may improve his health, but conceivably the wife … may feel it rather dull and lonely.

  e.  Eccl. One of a class or order of devout or consecrated widows in the Early Church (see Acts ix. 39, 41).

  Cf. Nouna, arwurþe wydwe (MS. Bodl. 730, lf. 146 b, c. 1200).

1572.  T. Cartwright, Repl. Whitgift, 153. Although there is not so great vse of these widowes with vs, as there was in those places where the churches were first founded,… yet … I conclude that (if such may be gotten) we ought also to kepe that order of widowes in the church still.

[1587.  see WIDOWER¹ 2].

1708.  Bingham, Orig. Eccles., II. xxii. 315. The Council of Laodicea in the Eastern Church had forbidden them [sc. deaconesses] under the Name of ancient Widows or Governesses.

1709.  J. Johnson, Clergy-Man’s Vade M., II. 241. A Widow or Deaconess, must, according to St. Paul, be Sixty.

1862.  Bp. Wordsworth, Hymn, ‘Hark the sound of holy voices,’ ii. Saintly Maiden, godly Matron, Widows who have watch’d to prayer.

1884.  Catholic Dict., 611/2. The Church recognised … several classes of pious women, such as widows, deaconesses, hospitallers, Canonesses.

  f.  transf. A female animal, esp. a hen bird, that has lost its mate.

c. 1220.  Bestiary, 706. If hire make were ded, and ȝe widue wore.

1821–2.  [see widow bird in 4 a].

1878.  Daily News, 16 Sept., 3/1. ‘Widows,’ alias old hens, are to be bought at a shilling each.

  g.  fig.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 187. Þe Chirche, þat is wydowe for þis tyme.

c. 1480.  Henryson, Orpheus & Eurydice, 455. For than gois bakwart to the syn agayn Oure appetite … And makis reson wedow for to be.

1594.  Sylvester, Elegies, Monodia, Wks. (Grosart), II. 330/1. Soon as ever the brighi season-stinter Hath left her widow of his wonted raies.

1867.  Lewes, Hist. Philos. (ed. 3), II. iii. 98. Bruno wittily called Oxford the widow of sound learning—‘la vedova di buone lettere.’

  2.  a. A bird of the subfamily Viduinæ: = WIDOW-BIRD. Mourning widow, a bird of the genus Coliopasser belonging to this subfamily. b. Collectors’ name for a geometrid moth, Cidaria luctuata: also mourning widow. c. Mournful or mourning widow, popular names of certain plants with dusky flowers: see MOURNFUL 5, MOURNING ppl. a. 3.

1747.  Edwards, Nat. Hist. Birds, II. 86. The Red-Breasted Long-Tailed Finch … from Angola in Africa…. A Gentleman, who lately arrived from Lisbon, tells me the Portuguese call this Bird the Widow, from its Colour, and long Train.

1796.  H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), I. 287. In the feathery race, the widow, the cardinal, &c. … exhibit much more brilliant colouring, when the Sun approaches the Line.

1869–73.  T. R. Jones, Cassell’s Bk. Birds, I. 179. The Mourning Widows (Coliuspasser).

  3.  Miscellaneous colloq. or slang uses. a. (See quot. 1710, and cf. widow’s fire in 5.) b. An extra hand dealt to the table in certain card-games. c. The widow: champagne. [From ‘Veuve Cliquot,’ the name of a firm of wine merchants.]

1710.  Brit. Apollo, III. No. 91. 3/1. Fire expiring’s call’d a Widow.

1891.  Hoffmann’s Cycl. Card Games, 204. Whiskey Poker…. Five cards are … dealt to each player, with an extra hand, known as ‘the widow.’ The elder hand may either play his own hand, pass, or take the widow.

1899.  Guy Boothby, Red Rat’s Dau., xvii. A good luncheon and a pint of the Widow to wash it down.

  4.  Combinations. a. appositive (= that is a widow), as widow child, duchess, lady, mother, queen, woman (the last now usually arch. or dial.); (in sense 1 f) widow bird, turtle. b. attrib. Of or pertaining to a widow or widowhood, as widow bed, comfort, dolour, life, night, state; consisting of widows, as widow-club. c. objective, instrumental, etc., as widow-burning (= SUTTEE 2), -hunter, -hunting, -maker, -making; widow-cursed adj.; widow-like adj. and adv. d. Special Combs.: widow church, a church without a bishop or pastor; widow-duck, a species of tree-duck, Dendrocygna viduata; widow-finch = WIDOW-BIRD; widow flower = Mourning widow (b) (MOURNING ppl. a. 3): cf. 2 c; widow moth = 2 b; widow right, that part of a deceased husband’s estate to which a widow has a right. See also WIDOW-BIRD, -WAIL.

1650.  Howell, Giraffi’s Rev. Naples, I. 119. He commanded … the House of a *widow-Baker to be burnt.

1602.  Marston, Antonio’s Rev., III. iv. O thou cold *widdowe bed, sometime thrice blest, By the warme pressure of my sleeping lord.

1821–2.  Shelley, Chas. I., V. 4. A *widow bird sat mourning Upon a wintry bough.

1856.  Max Müller, Chips (1868), II. 34. The custom of *widow-burning.

1856.  Aytoun, Bothwell, I. x. To claim the hand of Scotland’s Queen, The *widow-child of France.

a. 1759.  A. Butler, Lives of Saints (1836), I. 179. He … recommends himself and his *widow-church of Antioch to their prayers.

1714.  Addison, Spect., No. 561, ¶ 1. A certain Female Cabal … who call themselves the *Widow-Club.

1595.  Shaks., John, III. iv. 105. My faire sonne,… My *widow-comfort, and my sorrowes cure.

1614.  Sylvester, Parl. Vertues Royall, 767. Hundred Laurels never *widow-curst.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., II. ii. 65. Our fatherlesse distresse was left vnmoan’d, Your *widdow-dolour, likewise be vnwept.

1711.  Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 8 Nov. The *widow Duchess will not stand to the will.

1885.  Riverside Nat. Hist. (1888), IV. 542. The vida-finches, often called *widow-finches.

1882.  Garden, 11 March, 155/3. The purple Scabious … is known in some places by the name of the *Widow Flower.

1714.  Addison, Spect., No. 561, ¶ 1. These unhappy gentlemen, who are commonly distinguished by the name of *widow-hunters.

1853.  R. S. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour, i. (1893), 8. With this popular sport he combined the diversion of *widow-hunting.

1595.  Shaks., John, II. i. 518. How may we content This *widdow Lady?

1863.  D. G. Mitchell, Sev. Stor., My Farm of Edgewood, 17. Another letter, from a widow lady.

1625.  in Halliw., Lett. Kings Eng. (1846), II. 236. I had rather live banished … with you, than live a sorrowful *widow-life without you.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. xii. 22. She had layd her mournefull stole aside, And *widow-like sad wimple throwne away.

1706.  Gardiner, trans. Rapin’s Gardens, I. 351. Or Widowlike beneath a sable Veil, Her purest Lawn may artfully conceal.

1747.  Richardson, Clarissa, IV. 120. She wrote such a widow-like refusal.

1839–52.  Bailey, Festus, 439. This bosom … is burning for thee, though thy love be dead, Widow-like, on her lord’s death-bier.

1595.  Shaks., John, V. ii. 17. It grieues my soule, That I must draw this mettle from my side To be a *widdow-maker.

1906.  Kipling, Puck of Pook’s Hill, 68.

1657.  Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 267. Mezereon is as much as viduifical, or *widow-making Plant.

1819.  Samouelle, Entomol. Compend., 363. *Widow moth.

a. 1711.  Ken, Hymns Evang., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 99. The Son for whom his *Widow-Mother groan’d.

1821.  R. Pollok, in D. Pollok, Life, iv. (1843), 87. A small house, inhabited by a widow-mother and an only daughter.

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, III. v. (1912), 379. O *widow-nights, beare witnes with me of the difference.

1690.  Locke, Govt., § 123. Who has the paternal power whilst the *widow-queen is with child?

1569.  N. Country Wills (Surtees, 1912), II. 55. After the *widowright of my wief.

1617–8.  Knaresb. Wills (Surtees), II. 49. One third of my goodes, which is her widdow right.

1755.  Johnson, To Widow, v.a. … 2. To endow with a widow-right.

1591–5.  C’tess Pembroke, Astrophel, II. 27. All the fields do waile their *widow state.

1615.  Sylvester, Bethulia’s Rescue, IV. 318. So, on the withier’d Spray The *Widow-Turtle sighes her mournfull Lay.

1649.  Lovelace, Lucasta, etc., 99. Peason, Chickens, sawces high, Pig and the *Widdow-Venson-pye.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Sam. xiv. 5. A womman widowe I am [1611 a widow woman; Vulg. mulier vidua]. Ibid., 1 Kings vii. 14. Yram, the son of the *widowe womman [1611 a widowes sonne; Vulg. mulieris viduae]. Ibid., xvii. 9. A womman widowe [Douay 1609 a wydow woman].

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 101, ¶ 7. He lived as a Lodger at the House of a Widow-Woman.

1891.  T. Hardy, Tess, xxix. ‘Not he, sir. Never meant to,’ replied the dairyman. ‘As I say, ’tis a widow-woman, and she had money, it seems—fifty poun’ a year or so.’

1889.  ‘J. S. Winter,’ Mrs. Bob, iii. (1891), 41. Gay little widow woman that she was.

  5.  Special collocations with the genitive: widow’s bench = FREE BENCH; widow’s chamber, the furniture of the bed-chamber, to which the widow of a freeman of the city of London was formerly entitled; widow’s cross, a name for a purple-flowered N. American species of stonecrop, Sedum pulchellum; widow’s fire (see quot., and cf. 3 a); widow’s lock, a lock or tuft of hair growing apart from the rest, supposed to presage early widowhood; widow’s man, (a) a man such as to attract widows; (b) Naut. one of a number of fictitious seamen whose names were formerly entered in the books of a ship’s company, their pay being set apart for pensions; widow’s mite, a small money contribution in allusion to Mark xii. 43; see MITE² 1 c); widow’s peak (see PEAK sb.² 1 f, and cf. widow’s lock); widow’s terce (see TERCE 2); widow’s weeds, the mourning apparel of a widow (see WEED sb.² 6 b).

1694.  N. H., Ladies Dict., 468. *Widdows-bench [mispr. -benob] … Ss. [= Sussex] a share of their Husbands Estate, which they enjoy beside their joynture.

1766.  Blackstone, Comm., II. xxxii. 518. Deducting the widow’s apparel and furniture of her bed-chamber, which in London is called the *widow’s chamber.

1919.  19th Cent., Dec., 1049. *‘Widow’s fire’—a fire on one side of the grate only.

a. 1540.  J. London, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. III. 132. Suche as … hadde any slottiche *wydowes lockes, viz. here growen to gether in a tufte.

1896.  Northall, Warw. Word-bk., Widow’s-lock, a small lock or fringe growing apart from the hair above the forehead. Credulous persons believe that a girl so distinguished will become a widow soon after marriage.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, III. vi. As to Square, who was … what is called a jolly Fellow, or a *Widow’s Man, he easily reconciled his Choice to the eternal Fitness of Things.

1790.  Jackson’s Oxf. Jrnl., 2 Oct. Fictitious Seamen called Widow’s Men.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Widows’ men, imaginary sailors, formerly borne on the books as A.B.’s for wages in every ship in commission; they ceased with the consolidated pay at the close of the war.

1595.  Goodwine, Blanchardine, Ded. Crauing your acceptance of this pore *widowes mite.

1849.  *Widow’s peak [see PEAK sb.² 1 f].

1838.  Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 985. Where a husband has disponed property in which he stands infeft, but dies before the disponee has taken infeftment, the *widow’s terce will form a burden on the property so disponed.

1725, 1836.  *Widow’s weeds [see WEED sb.² 6 b].

  Hence † Widowess (Obs. rare^–1), a widow (sense 1); Widowish a. = widowly adj.; † Widowist [-IST used irreg.] = sense 1 e; † Widowity Obs. [hybrid alteration of VIDUITY], widowhood; Widowly a. [-LY¹], pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting a widow (in quot. 1884, widowed, or having the character of a widow); WIDOWLY adv. [-LY²], in a way befitting a widow, like a widow; Widow-wise adv. (nonce-wd.), in the manner of a widow, like a widow; Widowy († -ie) a. = widowly adj.

1596.  Clapham, Briefe Bible, II. 126. [She] had bene 84 yeares *Widowesse.

1567.  Turberv., Ovid’s Ep., 60 b. My *widowish couch.

1578.  H. Wotton, Courtlie Controv., 280. Turning and tossing … in hir widowishe bed.

1593.  Bancroft, Surv., 221. There is a second sorte of Disciplinary *Widdowistes, that are very farre growen past Cartwright’s Ifs. [Cf. sense 1 e, quot. 1572.]

1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj., I. 39. Suppose his mother in her *widowetie committed huredome.

1664.  in Jervise, Mem. Angus (1885), II. 15. Earl George … left her ‘the use of all his moveables in all his houses duering her widowity.’

1750–1.  Macfarlane, Geneal. Coll. (S. H. S., 1900), II. 465. She calls her Self when in her widowity Relicta Normani de Lessly.

1753.  Stewart’s Trial, 53. The poor disconsolate lady, who now weeps over her own widowity.

1532.  More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 494/1. Virginitie, & *widoly chastitie.

1632.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 158. The Princesse … had now converted her widdowly meane into fresh teares of conjugall affection.

1884.  Century Mag., XXVIII. 541. This charming young person,… the daughter of a widowly exile of France.

1909.  Rickert, Beggar Heart, 285. She conducted herself most *widowly.

1904.  Marson, Folk Songs fr. Som., Introd. p. xvi. Song is not won *widow-wise, ‘by brisk assault and putting on,’… but rather must be wooed by slow approaches, like a maid.

1656.  Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., I. iii. (1674), 4. The very Muses … did … assist at the Obsequies in *widowie apparel.