ˈneedlewoman
[needle n. 1.]
A woman who works with the needle; a sempstress.
| 1611 Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girl i. i, You are busied with a needle-woman. a 1667 Jer. Taylor Suppl. Serm. for Year (1678) 104 She was a good needle-woman and a good huswife. 1776 Carlisle Mag. 7 Sept. 143 She endeavoured to procure employment as a needle-woman. 1863 W. Phillips Speeches ii. 31 The crowded and starved ranks of the needlewomen. 1879 Meredith Egoist xiv, As a rule authoresses are not needlewomen. |