subs. (vulgar: once literary).—‘Newness; freshness; uncontaminated state. This is now become a low word.’—JOHNSON (1755).

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  1594.  NASHE, The Unfortunate Traveller [GROSART, v. 114]. He would let Florence his mistres natiue citie have the MAIDENHEAD of his chiualrie.

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  1598.  SHAKESPEARE, 1 Henry IV., iv. 1. 59.

        If that the devil and mischance look big
Upon the MAIDENHEAD of our affairs.

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  d. 1639.  WOTTON, Reliquiæ Wottonianæ. Some … have stained the MAIDENHEAD of their Credit with some negligent performance.

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  1694.  CROWNE, The Married Beau, ii. 1.

        I’ll give your ladyship the MAIDENHEAD
Of a new song of mine, a pretty song.

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