lioness
(ˈlaɪənɪs)
Forms: 4 leoun-, lioun-, (lyenn-), 4–5 leon-, 4–7 lyon-, lyonn-, 4–8 lionn-; 4 -es, 4–7 -ess(e, (5 -asse, -ys); 7– lioness.
[a. OF. lion(n)esse, leonesse (now superseded by lionne), f. lion lion.]
1. The female of the lion.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 12336 Right be þat water side lai a leoness [Fairf. liones, Gōtt. leones]. 13.. Sir Beues (MS.A.) 2465 Stoutliche þe liounesse þan Asailede Beues. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xlix. (Tecla) 210 Ymang þai bestis ves richt stark & fel a lyonnes. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 637 Stibourne I was as is a Leonesse. 1461 Rolls of Parlt. V. 475 The Office of kepyng Lyons, Leonesses and Leopardes, within oure Toure of London. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. iv. ii. 138 The chafed Bore, the mountaine Lyonesse. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 393 They rejoyce Each with thir kinde, Lion with Lioness. 1717 Pope Iliad x. 213 The gaunt Lioness, with Hunger bold. 1726 Ayliffe Parergon 46 Lyons do in a very severe manner punish the adulteries of the Lyoness. 1813 Byron Giaour 1215 Go, when the hunter's hand hath wrung From the forest-cave her shrieking young, And calm the lonely lioness. |
b. fig. Applied to persons.
| 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) i. xv. 12 Yet wote I wel that leon is he nought ne thou ne myght no leonesse be. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 291 Were I at home At your den sirrah, with your Lionnesse, I would set an Oxe-head to your Lyons hide. 1847 Tennyson Princess vi. 147 O fair and strong and terrible! Lioness That with your long locks play the Lion's mane. |
2. A female celebrity; a woman who is lionized. † Also (Oxford Univ. slang), a lady visitor to a member of the university.
| 1808 Scott Let. to Lady Louisa Stuart 19 Jan. in Lockhart, Miss Lydia White..is what Oxonians call a lioness of the first order, with stockings nineteen times nine dyed blue. 1824 ― St. Ronan's vii, Bring Mr. Springblossom—Winter⁓blossom—and all the lions and lionesses. 1848 J. H. Newman Loss & Gain v. 26 He..had promised him tickets, for some ladies, lionesses of his, who were coming up to the Commemoration. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xxv, The whole load,..were on the look-out for lady visitors, profanely called lionesses. 1894 Fenn In Alpine Valley I. 8 She was received in society and petted as the new lioness. |