house-dove
1. A dove kept in a dove-house; a tame dove or pigeon.
| 1530 Palsgr. 233/1 Housedove, coulomb. 1625 Bacon Ess., Plantat. (Arb.) 531 Cockes, Hennes,..House doues. |
2. fig. Formerly commonly applied to a person (esp. a woman) that stays in the house; a stay-at-home.
| 1579–80 North Plutarch (1595) 242 Then the home-tarriers and house-doues that kept Rome still, began to repent them that it was not their hap to go with him. 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 85 You are proude such a house doue of late, or rather so good a Huswife, that no man may see you vnder a couple of Capons. 1639 Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 20 Take me not as a house Dove, to imploy my selfe in spinning, sowing, and keeping the chimney corner. |