Obs. Forms: see WIDOW sb.1: 4–5 -hede, 4–6 -hed, 6 -heade, Sc. -heid(e, 6–7 -head; also 4 viduid, widoued, 5 weddewede, wydewede, wedowed, wedoet, 6 wydowed, widuede, 7 widdowed. [f. WIDOW sb.1 or 2 + -HEAD.]
a. = next, 1 a.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11346. Anna,… Þat liued had foursith tuenti yeier In viduid [Gött. widowhede, Trin. wodewehode].
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 295. Alle kepid they here maydynhed Or ellis wedlek or here wedewehed.
1447. in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 1451, 106/1. Cristiane has set and to ferm latyn in her pur wedowhed to the said Alex. … hir landis of Stratoune.
1563. Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1891), II. 29. That mistres Margarete Handcoke … shalbe free of all … taxis,… during her widuede and living sole.
1591. Spenser, Teares Muses, 240. During the time of that her widowhead.
c. 1610. Women Saints, 28. As true widdowed … is of rare dignitie and power,… so false widdowed,… which liueth so more freelie to take her pleasure … is likewise more dishonorable.
1662. Hickeringill, Apol. Distressed Innoc., Wks. 1716, I. 298. Tamar after she had plaid her wicked prank, resumed the garment of her Widowhead.
attrib. a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. iii. (1912), 160. The comfort of her widowhead life.
b. gen. = next, 1 b.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxiv. (Alexis), 41. Symeone, þat in wedoue-hed Þat lang tyme þat his lyf can led.
c. 1460. Emare, 77. Aftur, when hys wyf was dede, And ledde hys lyf yn weddewede.
1530. Tindale, Answ. More, III. xiii. Wks. (1575), 313/2. Virginitie, wedlocke and widowed are none better then other to be saued by.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 10. Of the chastitie of mariage wydohed & virginitie.
1601. Holland, Pliny, X. xxxiv. I. 290. They [sc. doves] abandon not their owne nests, unlesse they be in state of single life or widdowhead by the death of their fellow.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 6. Where the Apostle affirmeth it to be good to abide single, either in virginitie or widowhead … shall no time afford lawfulnes for some sort of men to marie?
c. fig. = next, 1 c.
1624. Donne, Lett. (1651), 10. Upon you, who are a member of the spouse of Christ the Church, there can fall no widowhead.
1697. G. Keith, 2nd Narr. Proc. Turner’s Hall, 31. The words of G. W. and W. Penn about the Souls of the Deceased Saints being in a state of Purgatory or Widowhead, if they look for the Resurrection of their bodies.
