Meaning of the word lady

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

«Gentlelady» redirects here. Not to be confused with Gentlewoman.

The word lady is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Informal use is sometimes euphemistic («lady of the night» for prostitute) or, in American slang, condescending in direct address (equivalent to «mister» or «man»).

«Lady» is also a formal title in the United Kingdom. «Lady» is used before the family name of a woman with a title of nobility or honorary title suo jure (in her own right), or the wife of a lord, a baronet, Scottish feudal baron, laird, or a knight, and also before the first name of the daughter of a duke, marquess, or earl.

Etymology[edit]

The word comes from Old English hlǣfdige; the first part of the word is a mutated form of hlāf, «loaf, bread», also seen in the corresponding hlāford, «lord». The second part is usually taken to be from the root dig-, «to knead», seen also in dough; the sense development from bread-kneader, or bread-maker, or bread-shaper, to the ordinary meaning, though not clearly to be traced historically, may be illustrated by that of «lord».^[1]

Usage[edit]

The primary meaning of «mistress of a household» is now mostly obsolete,^[1] save for the term «landlady» and in set phrases such as «the lady of the house». This meaning is retained in the southern states of the United States. In some contexts «lady» is synonymous with the old-fashioned word «gentlewoman», meaning someone of high social status by birth and upbringing, but not necessarily titled. The term is also used in titles such as first lady and lady mayoress, the wives of elected or appointed officials.

In many European languages the equivalent term serves as a general form of address equivalent to the English Mrs (French Madame, Spanish Señora, Italian Signora, German Frau, Polish Pani, etc.). In those languages it is correct to address a woman whose name is unknown as Madame, Señora, etc., but in polite English usage «lady» has for centuries only normally been a term of address in the plural,^[2] which is also the case for «gentleman». The singular vocative use (i.e. to address someone directly) was once common but has become mostly confined to poetry.^[2] In some dialects it may still be used to address an unknown woman in a brusque manner, often in an imperative or interrogatory context, analogous to «mister» for an unknown male: e.g., «Hey, lady, you aren’t allowed in here!»^[3] In this usage, the word «lady» is very seldom capitalized when written. The usual English term for politely addressing a woman is madam or its abbreviation ma’am.

In English, relatively few job titles are un-gendered.^{[citation needed]} Some names for jobs are gender-neutral, e.g. mail carrier (postal worker), but where there is a common word with a -man suffix, sometimes -lady may be used as an equivalent, e.g. postman and (sometimes) postlady. Using «lady» in professional job titles which had previously been male preserves fell out of favour with second-wave feminism (lady doctor, lady engineer, lady judge), though lady doctor is sometimes used by a healthcare receptionist when booking an appointment at a group practice health centre so that the situation is clear to the patient.^{[citation needed]} It is still used in some other occupations, to give dignity and express respect to less skilled work such as tea ladies in offices and hospitals, lunch ladies (or dinner ladies) in school canteens, cleaning ladies in private homes and in business premises, and healthcare ladies for female healthcare assistants.

Both British and American commentators noted the shifting uses of «lady» in the mid-twentieth century. The American journalist William Allen White noted one of the difficulties in his 1946 autobiography. He relates that a woman who had paid a fine for prostitution came to his newspaper to protest, not against the fact that her conviction had been reported, but that the newspaper had referred to her as a «woman» rather than a «lady». After the incident, White assured his readers, his papers referred to human females as «women», with the exception of police court characters, who were all «ladies». The British historian Nancy Mitford wrote an influential essay in 1954, «U vs. non-U», in which she noted the class distinctions: lower class women strongly preferred to be called «ladies», while those from higher social backgrounds were content to be identified as «women». Commenting on the word in 1953, C. S. Lewis wrote that «the guard at Holloway said it was a ladies’ prison!» The term «a bag lady» (vagabond) is a euphemism for a woman who has fallen on hard times; a «lady of the night» is a polite term for a prostitute.

In British English, «lady» is often, but not always, simply a courteous synonym for «woman». Public toilets are often distinguished by signs showing simply «Ladies» or «Gentlemen». «Lady» can have a formal and respectful quality, being used to describe an elderly woman as «an old lady» or when speaking about a woman to a child (e.g. «Give the money to the lady.») It remains in use as a counterpart to «gentleman», in the plural phrase «ladies and gentlemen», and is generally interchangeable (in a strictly informal sense) with «woman» (as in, «The lady at the store said I could return this item within thirty days»). However, some women, since the rise of second-wave feminism, have objected to the term used in contexts such as the last example, arguing that the term sounds patronising and outdated when used in this way; a man in the same context would not necessarily be referred to as a «gentleman». One feminist proponent of language reform, Robin Lakoff, in her book Language and Woman’s Place (1975), notably raised the issue of the ways in which «lady» is not used as the counterpart of «gentleman». It is suggested by academic Elizabeth Reid Boyd that feminist usage of the word «lady» has been reclaimed in the 21st century.^[4]

British titles[edit]

Formally, «Lady» is the female counterpart to higher ranks in society, from gentlemen, through knights, to peers of the realm. During the Middle Ages, princesses or daughters of the blood royal were usually known by their first names with «Lady» prefixed, e.g. The Lady Elizabeth;^[1] since Old English and Middle English did not have a female equivalent to princes or earls or other royals or nobles. Aside from the queen, women of royal and noble status simply carried the title of «Lady».

As a title of nobility, the uses of «lady» in Britain are parallel to those of «lord». It is thus a less formal alternative to the full title giving the specific rank, of marchioness, countess, viscountess or baroness, whether as the title of the husband’s rank by right or courtesy, or as the lady’s title in her own right.^[1] A peeress’s title is used with the definite article: Lord Morris’s wife is «the Lady Morris». A widow’s title derived from her husband becomes the dowager, e.g. The Dowager Lady Smith.

The title «Lady» is also used for a woman who is the wife of a Scottish feudal baron or laird, the title «Lady» preceding the name of the barony or lairdship.^[5] In the case of younger sons of a duke or marquess, who have the courtesy title «Lord» prefixed to their given and family name, the wife is known by the husband’s given and family name with «Lady» prefixed, e.g. Lady John Smith.^[1] The daughters of dukes, marquesses and earls are by courtesy «ladies»; here, that title is prefixed to the given and family name of the lady, e.g. Lady Jane Smith, and this is preserved if the lady marries a commoner, e.g. Mr John and Lady Jane Smith. «Lady» is also the customary title of the wife of a baronet or knight, but in this case without Christian name: «Lady» with the surname of the husband only,^[1] Sir John and Lady Smith. When a woman divorces a knight and he marries again, the new wife will be Lady Smith while the ex-wife becomes Jane, Lady Smith.

Female members of the Order of the Garter and Order of the Thistle also receive the prefix of «Lady»; here that title is prefixed to the given and family name of the lady, e.g. Lady Marion Fraser, LT, with the post nominal LG or LT respectively, and this is preserved if the lady marries.^{[citation needed]}

Other meanings[edit]

The special use of the word as a title of the Virgin Mary, usually Our Lady, represents the Latin Domina Nostra. In Lady Day and Lady Chapel, the word is properly a genitive, representing hlǣfdigan^[1] «of the Lady».

The word is also used as a title of the Wiccan Goddess, The Lady.

Margaret Thatcher was informally referred to in the same way by many of her political colleagues when Prime Minister of Great Britain. Her husband was later created a baronet, thus making her «Lady Thatcher» as of right. After she retired, she was given a barony as Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire, and was thereafter known as «The Lady Thatcher».

Elsewhere in the Commonwealth, the word is used in a similar fashion to aristocratic usage in Britain. In Ghana, for example, the consort of the Asantehene of the Ashanti people is known as Lady Julia Osei Tutu. In Nigeria, the Yoruba aristocrats Kofoworola, Lady Ademola and Oyinkansola, Lady Abayomi made use of the title due to their being the wives of British knights.

See also[edit]

• Girl
• Dame, a title parallel to Sir

References[edit]

• Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage (Merriam-Webster, 1989), ISBN 0-87779-132-5.
• Lakoff, Robin. Language and Woman’s Place (New York, Harper & Row, 1975). ISBN 0-19-516757-0.

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English lady, laddy, lafdi, lavedi, from Old English hlǣfdīġe (“mistress of a household, wife of a lord, lady”, literally “bread-kneader”), from hlāf (“bread, loaf”) + dīġe (“kneader”), related to Old English dǣġe (“maker of dough”) (whence dey (“dairymaid”)). Compare also lord. More at loaf, dairy, dough. Unrelated to lad.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈleɪdi/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈleɪ.ɾi/
• Rhymes: -eɪdi
• Hyphenation: la‧dy

Noun[edit]

lady (plural ladies)

1. (historical) The mistress of a household.
2. A woman of breeding or higher class, a woman of authority.

   «I would like the dining room to be fully set by tonight; would you do so?» «Yes, my lady«.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 6, in The China Governess‎^[1]:

     ‘[…] I remember a lady coming to inspect St. Mary’s Home where I was brought up and seeing us all in our lovely Elizabethan uniforms we were so proud of, and bursting into tears all over us because “it was wicked to dress us like charity children”. […]’.

3. The feminine of lord.

   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 283, column 2:

     Of all theſe bounds euen from this Line, to this, / With ſhadowie Forreſts, and with Champains rich’d / With plenteous Riuers, and wide-ſkirted Meades / We make thee Lady.

   • 1848, James Russell Lowell, The Vision of Sir Launfaul, 6th edition, Boston: Ticknor and Fields, published 1858:

     ’T was the proudest hall in the North Countree,
     And never its gates might opened be,
     Save to lord or lady of high decree […]

4. A title for someone married to a lord or gentleman.
5. A title that can be used instead of the formal terms of marchioness, countess, viscountess, or baroness.
6. (polite or used by children) A woman: an adult female human.

   Please direct this lady to the soft furnishings department.

7. (in the plural) A polite reference or form of address to women.

   Ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to be here today. Follow me, ladies!

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 58:

     The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.

8. (slang) Used to address a female.

   Hey, lady, move your car!

   Hey, ladies, how are you doing?

9. (ladies’ or ladies) Toilets intended for use by women.
10. (informal) A wife or girlfriend; a sweetheart.

    • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 59, column 2:

      It is my Lady, O it is my Loue, O that ſhe knew ſhe were,
      She ſpeakes, yet ſhe ſayes nothing, what of that?

    • 1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC; reprinted London: Elliot Stock, 1885, →OCLC:

      But nothing could now exceed my confusion upon seeing the gentleman and his lady enter

11. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound.

    • 1666, Edmund Waller, “Instructions to a Painter”, in The Works of Edmund Walker‎^[2], Dublin: W. G. Jones, published 1768, page 154:

      The ſoldier here his waſted ſtore ſupplies,
      And takes new valor from the Ladies’ eyes.

12. (slang) A queen (the playing card).
13. (attributive, with a professional title) Who is a woman.

    A lady doctor.

14. (Wicca) Alternative form of Lady.
15. (archaic) gastric mill, the triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster, consisting of calcareous plates; so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure.
16. (UK, slang) A five-pound note. (Rhyming slang, Lady Godiva for fiver.)
17. (slang, chiefly in the plural) A woman’s breast.
18. (chess, slang, rare) A queen.

Derived terms[edit]

Pages starting with “lady”.

[edit]

• fakaleitī
• Lady

Descendants[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

• Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. →ISBN

Verb[edit]

lady (third-person singular simple present ladies, present participle ladying, simple past and past participle ladied)

1. To address as “lady”.

   • 1897, Macmillan’s Magazine, page 13, column 1:

     “ […] When I am dead ye’ll mind I said it, my leddy.” “Ah, Elspeth, but do not lady me; say Christine, just wee Christine. […] ”

   • 1928, The Letters of Mary Nisbet of Dirleton, Countess of Elgin, New York, N.Y.: D Appleton and Company, page 276:

     I see Bey still continues jealous of poor Mou; does she still go by that name? In Greek it means “my” and her Paramanas always called her Lady Mary Mou, so we called her Mou. I hope you admire my teaching you Greek. I beg you will break Bruce of ladying her, if it should grow up with him it would be detestable.

   • 2006, Jim Butcher, Cursor’s Fury: Book Three of the Codex Alera, New York, N.Y.: Ace Books, page 658:

     ‘Then, Lady Placida, there is something I wish to ask of you.’ ‘Only,’ she said sternly, ‘if you stop Ladying me. I have a name, dear.’

   • 2018, Skye MacKinnon, Winter Princess (Daughter of Winter, Book Two), Peryton Press:

     “How can I help, my lady?” “Stop the ladying. […]”

See also[edit]

• lord
• gentleman
• ladies’ room
• broad

Anagrams[edit]

• DALY, Daly, Dyal, Lyda, layd, yald

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English lady, from Middle English lady, from Old English hlǣfdīġe.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /lɛ.di/, /le.di/

Noun[edit]

lady f (plural ladies or ladys)

1. lady (wife of a British lord; important woman, usually British)

   Synonyms: dame, madame

Further reading[edit]

• “lady”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Italian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from English lady.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛ.di/, /ˈle.di/^[1]
• Rhymes: -ɛdi, -edi

Noun[edit]

lady f (invariable)

1. lady (wife of a lord; important woman)

Synonyms[edit]

• dama, donna (archaic), signora

References[edit]

Middle English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• laddy, ladi, ladie, ladij, ladye, lavedi, lefdi, lefdy, levedi, levedy, lhevedi
• (early ME) lafdi, laffdiȝ, læfdi, lævedi, leafdi

Etymology[edit]

From Old English hlǣfdīġe, in turn from hlāf (“bread, loaf”) + *dīġe (“maid”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈlaːdiː(ə)/, /ˈladiː(ə)/
• (mainly Early ME) IPA^(key): /ˈlavdiː(ə)/

Noun[edit]

lady (plural ladies, genitive ladies or lady)

1. A woman with authority or leadership:
   1. A lady (mistress of a household)

      • And whanne the aungel of the Lord hadde foundun hir biside the welle of water in wildirnes, the which is in the / weye of Sur in desert, he seide to hir, Agar, the hand mayden of Saray, whens comyst thow, and whithir gost thow? / The which answeride, Fro the face of Saray my ladi I flee.

        And when the angel of the Lord had found her in the wilderness beside the spring of water, which is in the desert on the way to Shur, he said to her, «Hagar, handmaiden of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?» She answered, «I am fleeing from the face of Sarai, my lady«.

   2. A lady (noblewoman or female monarch).
   3. A woman who manages an abbey or inn.
2. The wife of a noble or monarch.
3. A polite way to address a noble or honoured woman.
4. (by extension) Any woman.
5. A female deity (or the Virgin Mary).

Descendants[edit]

• English: lady (see there for further descendants)
• Scots: lady, leddy
• Yola: laady

References[edit]

• “lādī(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Polish[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from English lady, from Middle English lady, laddy, lafdi, lavedi, from Old English hlǣfdīġe.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛj.di/
• Rhymes: -ɛjdi
• Syllabification: la‧dy

Noun[edit]

lady f (indeclinable)

1. Lady (aristocratic title for a woman)
2. lady (wife of a lord)
3. lady (woman of breeding and authority)

Etymology 2[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈla.dɨ/
• Rhymes: -adɨ
• Syllabification: la‧dy
• Homophone: Lady

Noun[edit]

lady f

1. inflection of lada:
   1. genitive singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Further reading[edit]

• lady in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• lady in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from English lady.

Noun[edit]

lady f (plural lady)

1. lady

Spanish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from English lady.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈleidi/ [ˈlei̯.ð̞i]
• Rhymes: -eidi

Noun[edit]

lady f (plural ladies)

1. lady (wife of a lord; important woman)

Usage notes[edit]

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

Further reading[edit]

• “lady”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Last Updated:
2 Apr 2023
— Updated example sentences

The lady of the Spanish minister is a _lady_ in every sense of the word. ❋ Robert A. Wilson (N/A)

‘Oh, she’s no lady — she’s some common person — no _lady_ would behave in that manner.’ ❋ Various (N/A)

He required a lady — a _lady_ (Mrs. Major smiled deprecatingly) who should devote herself to his cats. ❋ Unknown (1925)

When Mary said to him she would miss her pupil, he smiled in a sort of abstracted way, as if not quite apprehending what she said, which seemed to Mary a little odd, his manners in essentials being those of a gentleman, as judged by one a little more than a lady; for there is an unnamed degree higher than the ordinary _lady_. ❋ George MacDonald (1864)

The fair lady of the gentleman in charge of the fort was the _only lady_ at the place, and indeed the only one within a circuit of six hundred miles — which space, being the primeval forest, was inhabited only by wild beasts and a few Indians. ❋ Unknown (1859)

BERCH’TA ( «_the white lady_»), a fairy of southern Germany, answering to Hulda ( «the gracious lady«) of northern Germany. ❋ Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1853)

Avis, in the position of _lady abbess_ of a convent in one of your eastern cities, which it is settled she will have, will stand quite as high, I guess, as in the position of lady Elwood. ❋ D. P. Thompson (1831)

The lady, too, is a votary of the muses; and as I think myself somewhat of a judge in my own trade, I assure you that her verses, always correct, and often elegant, are much beyond the common run of the _lady poetesses_ of the day. ❋ Robert Burns (1777)

«Oh!» replied Spicer, who had heard of Sir Hercules and his lady, «so the _lady_ sent it to you? ❋ Frederick Marryat (1820)

So much so, that I was forced to reprimand the young lady I use the term lady very loosely about her lack of class and bad manners. ❋ Unknown (2008)

The title lady in that epic, an innocent country girl, left an unhappy home life to seek employment in New York City. ❋ Jeff (2007)

LAMB: You actually define the term lady in your book. ❋ Unknown (1996)

But our present associations with the term lady being such as they are, and so many in every condition being jealous of their claims as ladies, I am compelled to adopt that appellation in order to guard against injurious misapprehensions. ❋ Unknown (1847)

The term lady, here employed in personifying a prosperous city, is one of various significations. ❋ Unknown (1847)

So, that woman, «The View» co-host Joy Behar I won’t use the term lady, she does not merit it, called another public figure a — well, rhymes with «witch.» ❋ Unknown (2010)

And in this case we mean the term lady very literally. ❋ Unknown (2008)

Janina sent this card over from Hamburg, Germany, saying “I think this lady is a bit skinny; a few more pounds would fit her well.” ❋ Unknown (2009)

And it’s a parody of those narcissistic songs and videos in which the male singer thinks that the greatest gift he could give to a lady is his very special lovemaking. ❋ Unknown (2010)

u guys betta treat yo lady right or she will [up and leave] [yawl] [skank ass]! ❋ Christie (2003)

T?[hat girl’s] a [real] lady ❋ Lil.sazzie (2006)

U [gotta] [treat] [ur] lady good. ❋ Ryan (2004)

[I know] [how to] [treat] a lady. ❋ DirtyWhiteBoy (2003)

[Don Quixote]: «[My lady]!»
Aldonza: «[I’m not] your lady! I’m not any kind of a lady!» ❋ Lorelili (2006)

«[I love you]» (and [really] [means] it) ❋ Ham (2004)

«And now my burden, it gives me pain…
For my Lord Franklin, I’d sail the main…
Ten-thousand pounds I would freely give
To know Lord Franklin and where he is…»
-Lady Jane Franklin, her [lament] for her husband, [Sir John] Franklin, who disappeared on an expedition.
«But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? …It is my lady, O it is my love!» -Romeo, Romeo and [Juliette]. ❋ Lorelili (2005)

Is lady [hungry] this [evening]? ❋ Crash888 (2008)

person: oh [what’s] your [dogs] name?
me: oh it’s ladyperson: omg it’s an [honor] to meet a lady ❋ FOOT LOVER 101 (2019)

[hey], [you straight] on [the lady]? ❋ Geno (2005)

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educalingo

In the world today, a young lady who does not have a college education just is not educated.

Walter Annenberg

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD LADY

Old English hlǣfdīge, from hlāf bread + dīge kneader, related to dāh dough.

PRONUNCIATION OF LADY

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF LADY

Lady is a noun.

WHAT DOES LADY MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of lady in the English dictionary

The definition of lady in the dictionary is a woman regarded as having the characteristics of a good family and high social position. Other definition of lady is a polite name for a woman.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH LADY

SYNONYMS OF «LADY»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «lady» and belong to the same grammatical category.

TRANSLATION OF LADY

Find out the translation of lady to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «LADY»

The term «lady» is very widely used and occupies the 1.910 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of lady

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «LADY» OVER TIME

10 QUOTES WITH «LADY»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word lady.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «LADY»

Discover the use of lady in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to lady and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «LADY»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term lady is used in the context of the following news items.

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Lady [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/lady>. Apr 2023 ».

The word lady is a term of respect for a girl or woman, the equivalent of gentleman. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the female equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman.

What is the connotative meaning of lady?

Explanation: When I think of the words “lady” and “woman”, there are some differences in tone and meaning that help to differentiate them from each other and their use. There are attributes that a woman must have to be considered a “lady”, including grace, elegance, gentleness, sophistication, charisma, and so on.

Is Lady a connotation or denotation?

Connotations can be both positive and negative; for example, lady carries a hint of both elegance and subservience. The influence of connotative meaning can also change the denotative meaning, one example being the thoroughly transformed word gay.

What are the denotative and connotative meanings?

The denotative meaning is the literal meaning of the word. However, the connotative meaning of the word also involves the emotional reaction a word may invoke. It depends on the reader’s associations they may make with that word. It goes further than the denotative meaning.

What is the connotation meaning of lazy?

Lazy which we know means someone who doesn’t really word very hard, but also one with a very similar meaning, idle. For example, “lazy” will always have a negative connotation; it will give us a very negative idea of the person it’s being used to describe. So lazy is always seen as a very bad thing.

What is the meaning of cheap rate?

/ˈtʃiːp ˌreɪt/ the amount charged for a service that is lower than usual because there is not so much demand for the service at that time: Cheap rate for overseas phone calls is from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

What does CHEP mean?

Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool

What is another word for cheaper?

What is another word for cheaper?

more inexpensive	more economical
more affordable	more reasonable
more reduced	more bargainous
more uncostly	more undear
more low-cost	more cost-effective

What is another word for being cheap?

What is another word for cheap?

inexpensive	economical
economic	competitive
affordable	reasonable
budget	economy
bargain	discount

What does retort mean?

: a quick, witty, or cutting reply especially : one that turns back or counters the first speaker’s words. retort.

What does rejoinder mean?

1 : the defendant’s answer to the plaintiff’s replication. 2 : reply specifically : an answer to a reply.

What is a logical rejoinder?

(law) a statement in legal and logical form stating something on behalf of a party to a legal proceeding.

What is rejoinder in PR?

Rejoinder : It is an article or release written to respond to issues raised in a previously published article. Rejoinders are often written to set the record straight correcting inaccuracies, errors of fact or reasoning or blatant lie or misrepresentations contained in the previous article.

What does bested mean?

/best/ to defeat someone in a fight or competition: He bested his opponent in just two rounds. Synonyms. outdo.

What is history answer in one sentence?

History is the study of the past – specifically the people, societies, events and problems of the past – as well as our attempts to understand them. It is a pursuit common to all human societies.

1. [ʹleıdı]

1. 1) леди, дама; госпожа

great lady — знатная дама

fine lady — а) светская женщина, аристократка; б) женщина, корчащая из себя аристократку

young lady — молодая особа; барышня

lady of quality — аристократка

Ladies and Gentlemen! — дамы и господа! ()

my dear /good/ lady — сударыня () [ тж. 1, 2)]

ladies first! — дамы, пожалуйста, проходите!; сначала дамы

to behave like a lady — вести себя как подобает воспитанной женщине; соблюдать достоинство женщины

show the lady to a seat — проводите даму на её место

you’ve dropped your gloves, lady! — женщина, вы обронили перчатки!

2. (Lady) леди ()

Lady Greystone — леди Грейстоун

Sir John and Lady Smith — сэр Джон и леди Смит

Lady Angela Silverbridge — леди Анжела Силвербридж

my lady — миледи ()

4. жена, супруга

your good lady — ваша супруга

First Lady — супруга президента США

5. 1) хозяйка

the lady of the house — хозяйка дома

the lady of the manor — владелица поместья

our sovereign lady — королева; государыня

Our Lady — богоматерь, владычица небесная

6. (-lady) :

chairlady — председатель(-женщина)

saleslady — продавщица

landlady — хозяйка

lady of easy virtue — женщина лёгкого поведения

lady of pleasure — куртизанка

lady of the frying-pan — кухарка

Lady of Babylon /of Rome/ — «вавилонская блудница» ()

Lady of the Bedchamber — камер-фрау ()

2. [ʹleıdı]

женского пола

lady doctor — женщина-врач

lady secretary — женщина секретарь

lady friend — подруга, приятельница

lady help — прислуга, на положении члена семьи