Woman \Wom"an\, n.; pl. Women. [OE. woman, womman, wumman,
wimman, wifmon, AS. w[imac]fmann, w[imac]mmann; w[imac]f
woman, wife + mann a man. See Wife, and Man.]
[1913 Webster]
1. An adult female person; a grown-up female person, as
distinguished from a man or a child; sometimes, any female
person.
[1913 Webster]
Women are soft, mild pitiful, and flexible. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man,
made he a woman. --Gen. ii. 22.
[1913 Webster]
I have observed among all nations that the women
ornament themselves more than the men; that,
wherever found, they are the same kind, civil,
obliging, humane, tender beings, inclined to be gay
and cheerful, timorous and modest. --J. Ledyard.
[1913 Webster]
2. The female part of the human race; womankind.
[1913 Webster]
Man is destined to be a prey to woman. --Thackeray.
[1913 Webster]
3. A female attendant or servant. " By her woman I sent your
message." --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Woman hater, one who hates women; one who has an aversion
to the female sex; a misogynist. --Swift.
[1913 Webster]
|
WOMEN, persons. In its most enlarged sense, this word signifies all the
females of the human species; but in a more restricted sense, it means all
such females who have arrived at the age of puberty. Mulieris appellatione
etiam virgo viri potens continetur. Dig. 50, 16, 13.
2. Women are either single or married. 1. Single or unmarried women
have all the civil rights of men; they may therefore enter into contracts or
engagements; sue and be sued; be trustees or guardians, they may be
witnesses, and may for that purpose attest all papers; but they are
generally, not possessed of any political power; hence they cannot be
elected representatives of the people, nor be appointed to the offices of
judge, attorney at law, sheriff, constable, or any other office, unless
expressly authorized by law; instances occur of their being appointed
postmistresses nor can they vote at any election. Woodes. Lect. 31; 4 Inst.
5; but see Callis, Sew. 252; 2 Inst 34; 4 Inst. 311, marg.
3.-2. The existence of a married woman being merged, by a fiction of
law, in the being of her husband, she is rendered incapable, during the
coverture, of entering into any contract, or of suing or being sued, except
she be joined with her husband; and she labors under all the incapacities
above mentioned, to which single women are subject. Vide Abortion; Contract;
Divorce; Feminine; Foetus; Gender; Incapacity; Man; Marriage; Masculine;
Mother; Necessaries; Parties to Actions Parties to Contracts; Pregnancy;
Wife.
|