*wife*

n.; pl. Alewives. [ This word is properly aloof, the Indian name of a fish. See Winthrop on the culture of maize in America, “Phil Trans.” No. 142, p. 1065, and Baddam's “Memoirs, ” vol. ii. p. 131. ] (Zool.) A North American fish (Clupea vernalis) of the Herring family. It is called also ellwife, ellwhop, branch herring. The name is locally applied to other related species. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. arch- + wife. ] A big, masculine wife. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A fishwoman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A woman who abusively scolds other people, often using coarse or vulgar language. [ PJC ]

n. The mistress of a house. [ Archaic ] Robynson (More's Utopia). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ House + wife. Cf. Hussy. ] 1. The wife of a householder; the mistress of a family; the female head of a household. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

He a good husband, a good housewife she. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. ety>[ See Hussy, in this sense. ] A little case or bag for materials used in sewing, and for other articles of female work; -- called also hussy. [ Written also huswife. ] P. Skelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A hussy. [ R. ] [ Usually written huswife. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sailor's housewife, a ditty-bag.

a. Pertaining or appropriate to a housewife; domestic; economical; prudent. [ 1913 Webster ]

A good sort of woman, ladylike and housewifely. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The business of the mistress of a family; female management of domestic concerns. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } v. t. To manage with skill and economy, as a housewife or other female manager; to economize. [ 1913 Webster ]

Conferred those moneys on the nuns, which since they have well housewived. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. huswif; hus house + wif wife. Cf. Hussy a housewife, Housewife. ] [ Written also housewife. ] 1. A female housekeeper; a woman who manages domestic affairs; a thirfty woman. “The bounteous huswife Nature.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The huswife is she that do labor doth fall. Tusser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A worthless woman; a hussy. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ See Hussy a bag. ] A case for sewing materials. See Housewife. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To manage with frugality; -- said of a woman. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a huswife; capable; economical; prudent. -- adv. In a huswifely manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The business of a housewife; female domestic economy and skill. Tusser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A man and woman who are married to each other; a married couple. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Midwives [ OE. midwif, fr. AS. mid with (akin to Gr. &unr_;) + &unr_; woman, wife. Properly, the woman or wife who is attendant upon a woman in childbirth. See Meta-, and Wife. ] A woman who assists other women in childbirth; a female practitioner of the obstetric art. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To assist in childbirth. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To perform the office of midwife. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The art or practice of assisting women in childbirth; obstetrics. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Assistance at childbirth; help or cooperation in production. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Zool.) The local name of various fishes, as the European black sea bream (Cantharus lineatus), the American alewife, etc. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Zool.) A tropical Atlantic fish (Bessy cerca). [ wns=1 ]
Syn. -- queen triggerfish, Bessy cerca, oldwench, Balistes vetula. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) A common long-tailed sea duck (Clangula hyemalis) of the northern parts of the US; also called old squaw. [ wns=2 ]
Syn. -- old squaw, Clangula hyemalis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ }. [ Prob. corrupted fr. the Sp. name in Cuba, pudiano verde. ] (Zool.) A large, handsomely colored, blue and bronze, labroid fish (Iridio radiatus, syn. Platyglossus radiatus) of Florida, Bermuda, and the West Indies. Called also pudiano, doncella, and, at Bermuda, bluefish. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n.; pl. Seawives (Zool.) A European wrasse (Labrus vetula). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female fortune teller. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Wives [ OE. wif, AS. wif; akin to OFries. & OS. wif, D. wijf, G. weib, OHG. wīb, Icel. vīf, Dan. viv; and perhaps to Skr. vip excited, agitated, inspired, vip to tremble, L. vibrare to vibrate, E. vibrate. Cf. Tacitus, [ “ Germania” 8 ]: Inesse quin etiam sanctum aliquid et providum putant, nec aut consilia earum aspernantur aut responsa neglegunt. Cf. Hussy a jade, Woman. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A woman; an adult female; -- now used in literature only in certain compounds and phrases, as alewife, fishwife, goodwife, and the like. “ Both men and wives.” Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the green he saw sitting a wife. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The lawful consort of a man; a woman who is united to a man in wedlock; a woman who has a husband; a married woman; -- correlative of husband. “ The husband of one wife.” 1 Tin. iii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let every one you . . . so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Eph. v. 33. [ 1913 Webster ]

To give to wife,
To take to wife, to give or take (a woman) in marriage. --
Wife's equity (Law), the equitable right or claim of a married woman to a reasonable and adequate provision, by way of settlement or otherwise, out of her choses in action, or out of any property of hers which is under the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery, for the support of herself and her children. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. wifhād. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Womanhood. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being a wife; the character of a wife. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without a wife; unmarried. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of, pertaining to, or like, a wife or a woman. “ Wifelike government.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]