Also 4–5 spynnester(e, 5–6 spynster (6 -starre). [f. SPIN v. + -STER. Cf. MDu., Du. and WFris. spinster, NFris. spen-, spanster.]
1. A woman (or, rarely, a man) who spins, esp. one who practises spinning as a regular occupation.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 130. And my wyf at Westmunstre þat wollene cloþ made, Spak to þe spinsters for to spinne hit softe.
14[?]. Lat.-Eng. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 583. Filatrix, a spynnester.
1543. Star Chamber Cases (Selden), II. 254. Ther were … ther dwelling … dyuers good spynsters & carders.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 617. Spinsters use the stemmes … to winde yarne upon.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, II. 103. Their women are excellent spinsters, whereby they are saide to gaine more then the men of the towne.
1647. R. Stapylton, Juvenal, 231. Destinies] That spin the thred of life, Juvenal calls them Spinsters. The Distaffe bearer is Clotho, the Spinster Lachesis.
1704. Hearne, Duct. Hist. (1714), I. 243. This monstrous Sight … that Soldiers that bore Arms should be commanded by a Spinster.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 2, ¶ 7. I should be, indeed, unwilling to find that, for the sake of corresponding with the Idler, the smith’s iron had cooled on the anvil, or the spinster’s distaff stood unemployed.
1836. [Mrs. Traill], Backw. Canada, 47. The spinster does not sit, but walks to and fro.
1910. Emily James Putnam, in Contemp. Rev., July, 31. She would be a famous spinster and needlewoman.
fig. 1609. Dekker, Gull’s Horn-bk., 16. Let the three huswifely spinsters of Destiny rather curtail the threed of thy life.
1698. Farquhar, Love & Bottle, III. i. Are my clothes so coarse, as if they were spun by those lazy spinsters the Muses?
b. A spider, or other insect that spins. rare.
1636. Brideoake, Poem (MS. Bodl. 22 fol. 10). The little Spinster’s Lawne [sc. web].
1706. J. Gardiner, trans. Rapin’s Gardens (1728), 19627.
| The Gnat, the buzzing Drone, the Palmer-worm, | |
| The wily Spinster, and the creeping Snail. |
2. Appended to names of women, originally in order to denote their occupation, but subsequently (from the 17th century) as the proper legal designation of one still unmarried.
1380. in T. Rogers, Oxf. City Docum. (1891), 10. De Alicia Moris Spynnestere, vjd.
1496. Nottingham Rec., III. 48. Johanna Hunt,… spynster.
1545. Knaresb. Wills (Surtees), I. 49. Elizabeth Lethom, spynstarre.
1564–5. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. (1885), 27. Joan Lambe, widow of London, spynster. Ibid. (1580–1). Margaretta Tirrell spinster, alias dicta Margaretta Tirrell uxor Thome Tirrell.
1617. Minsheu, Ductor, A Spinster, a terme, or an addition in our Common Law, onely added in Obligations, Euidences, and Writings, vnto maids vnmarried.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Spinster;… this is the onely addition for all unmarried women, from the Viscounts Daughter downward.
1711. Lond. Gaz., No. 4865/4. Elizabeth Harris of London, Spinster.
1719. J. Roberts, Spinster, 135. I write myself spinster, because the laws of my country call me so.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., V. i. Constantia Neville, spinster, of no place at all.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxix. Diana Vernon, Spinster.
b. A woman still unmarried; esp. one beyond the usual age for marriage, an old maid.
1719. J. Roberts, Spinster, 349. As for us poor Spinsters, we must certainly go away to France also.
1832. W. Irving, Alhambra, II. 140. The vigilant Fredegonda was one of the most wary of ancient spinsters.
1859. Thackeray, Virgin., xxii. Your sweet mistress, your spotless spinster, your blank maiden just out of the school-room.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, I. vi. 183. Providence is wonderfully kind to plain little spinsters with a knack of making themselves useful.
3. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 1, 1 b) spinster-caterpillar, -slave; (sense 2 b) spinster aunt, -like adj., sex.
1743. Francis, trans. Horace, Odes, III. xxvii. 64. A spinster-slave, Some rude barbarian’s concubine.
1800. Hurdis, Fav. Village, 169. The spinster caterpillar ties aloft, Fine as the gossamer, his slender cord.
1828. Lytton, Pelham, II. xii. 112. A solitary candle, whose long, spinster-like wick was flirting away with an east wind.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., vi. Tupman and the spinster aunt established a joint-stock company of fish and flattery.
1891. G. Meredith, One of our Conq., xxiii. The little dog had qualities to entrance the spinster sex.
Hence Spinsterdom, -ism, -ship, = SPINSTERHOOD. Spinsterial, -ian, Spinsterish, -ous adjs., having the characteristics of a spinster; old-maidish.
1879. T. H. S. Escott, England, I. vii. 178. Where there is enough of leisure, idleness, and *spinsterdom.
1883. Sat. Rev., 21 July, 82. A single … thunder-shower may … doom maidens by the dozen to the sorrows of spinsterdom.
1849. Alb. Smith, Pottleton Legacy (1854), 415. His sisters … annoyed him with their *spinsterial propensities.
1874. J. Hatton, Clytie, xiii. The landlord’s sister, a spinsterial Scotchwoman.
1819. Sporting Mag., V. 60. With all the finicality of *spinsterian consequence.
1881. Graphic, XXIII. 146/3. The naval, military, clerical, or spinsterian would-be-investor.
1892. Academy, 5 March, 237/3. His little *spinsterish ways at times grew rather tiresomne.
1818. La Belle Assemblée, XVII. 75. The full terrors of *spinsterism took hold of all her faculties.
1874. in J. W. Howe, Sex & Educ., 52. The respectable ranks of spinsterism.
1899. Illustr. Lond. News, 11 March, 328. I take the liberty of calling them maiden ladies because their style is, so to speak, *spinsterous.
1816. Southey, in Q. Rev., XV. 8. If the bride has an elder sister still in her state of *spinstership.
