widow, 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. vidhavā; and probably to Skr. vidh to be empty, to lack; cf. Gr. "hi`qeos a bachelor. Vidual.].

A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married again; one living bereaved of a husband. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

In various games (such as “hearts”), any extra hand or part of a hand, as one dealt to the table. It may be taken by one of the players under certain circumstances. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Grass widow. See under Grass. -- Widow bewitched, a woman separated from her husband; a grass widow. [Colloq.] -- Widow-in-mourning (Zoöl.), the macavahu. -- Widow monkey (Zoöl.), 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.

widow, a.

Widowed. Shak. [1913 Webster]

widow, v. t.

To reduce to the condition of a widow; to bereave of a husband; -- rarely used except in the past participle. [1913 Webster]
"Though in thus city he
Hath widowed and unchilded many a one,
Which to this hour bewail the injury." [1913 Webster]

To deprive of one who is loved; to strip of anything beloved or highly esteemed; to make desolate or bare; to bereave. [1913 Webster]
"The widowed isle, in mourning,
Dries up her tears." [1913 Webster]

"Tress of their shriveled fruits
Are widowed, dreary storms o'er all prevail." [1913 Webster]

"Mourn, widowed queen; forgotten Sion, mourn." [1913 Webster]

To endow with a widow's right. Shak. [1913 Webster]

To become, or survive as, the widow of. [1913 Webster]
"Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow
them all." [1913 Webster]

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

widow, n. & v.
--n.
1 a woman who has lost her husband by death and has not married again.
2 a woman whose husband is often away on a specified activity (golf widow).
3 extra cards dealt separately and taken by the highest bidder.
4 Printing the short last line of a paragraph at the top of a page or column.
--v.tr.
1 make into a widow or widower.
2 (as widowed adj.) bereft by the death of a spouse (my widowed mother).
3 (foll. by of) deprive of.

Idiom

widow-bird a whydah. widow's cruse an apparently small supply that proves or seems inexhaustible (see
1 Kgs. 17:10-16). widow's mite a small money contribution (see Mark 12:42). widow's peak a V-shaped growth of hair towards the centre of the forehead. widow's weeds see WEEDS.

Etymology

OE widewe, rel. to OHG wituwa, Skr. vidh{aacute}va, L viduus bereft, widowed, Gk eitheos unmarried man

top

DEVIL DICTIONARY

widow
n. A pathetic figure that the Christian world has agreed to take humorously, although Christ's tenderness towards widows was one of the most marked features of his character.

top

ROGET THESAURUS

widow

Divorce
N divorce, divorcement, separation, judicial separation, separate maintenance, separatio a mensa et thoro, separatio a vinculo matrimonii, trial separation, breakup, annulment, widowhood, viduity, weeds, widow, widower, relict, dowager, divorcee, cuckold, grass widow, grass widower, merry widow.

Also see definition of "widow" in Bible Study Dictionaries

For further exploring for "widow" in Webster Dictionary Online