Wid"ow (?), n. [OE. widewe, widwe, AS. weoduwe, widuwe, wuduwe; akin to OFries. widwe, OS. widowa, D. weduwe, G. wittwe, witwe, OHG. wituwa, witawa, Goth. widuw, Russ. udova, OIr. fedb, W. gweddw, L. vidua, Skr. vidhava; and probably to Skr. vidh to be empty, to lack; cf. Gr. a bachelor. . Cf. Vidual.]
A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married again; one living bereaved of a husband.
"A poor
widow."
Chaucer.
Grass widow. See under Grass. -- Widow bewitched, a woman separated from her husband; a grass widow. [Colloq.] Widow-in-mourning Zool., the macavahu. -- Widow monkey Zool., a small South American monkey (Callithrix lugens); -- so called on account of its color, which is black except the dull whitish arms, neck, and face, and a ring of pure white around the face. -- Widow's chamber Eng.Law, in London, the apparel and furniture of the bedchamber of the widow of a freeman, to which she was formerly entitled.
© Webster 1913.
Wid"ow, a.
Widowed.
"A
widow woman."
1 Kings xvii. 9. "This
widow lady."
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
Wid"ow, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Widowed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Widowing.]
1.
To reduce to the condition of a widow; to bereave of a husband; -- rarely used except in the past participle.
Though in thus city he
Hath widowed and unchilded many a one,
Which to this hour bewail the injury.
Shak.
2.
To deprive of one who is loved; to strip of anything beloved or highly esteemed; to make desolate or bare; to bereave.
The widowed isle, in mourning,
Dries up her tears.
Dryden.
Tress of their shriveled fruits
Are widowed, dreary storms o'er all prevail.
J. Philips.
Mourn, widowed queen; forgotten Sion, mourn.
Heber.
3.
To endow with a widow's right.
[R.]
Shak.
4.
To become, or survive as, the widow of.
[Obs.]
Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow
them all.
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
Wid"ow (?), n. (Card Playing)
In various games, any extra hand or part of a hand, as one dealt to the table.
© Webster 1913