feme covert Law.
(fɛm ˈkʌvət)
[a. AF. feme covert a woman ‘covered’ (= mod.F. couverte), i.e. under protection.]
a. A woman under cover or protection of her husband; a married woman. (Cf. feme and covert a. 4.)
| [1528 Perkins Prof. Bk. (1532) 2 marg., Graunt de feme couert est void.] 1602 W. Fulbecke 1st Pt. Parall. 4 A feme couert cannot make a contract. 1668 R. L'Estrange Vis. Quev. (1708) 70 My poor wife..being a Feme-Coverte, not an Officer durst come near her. 1743 Fielding Wedding-Day iv. v, Do you know, sir, that this lady is a femme couverte? 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) I. 111 On petition of..femes covert. 1858 Ld. St. Leonards Handy-bk. Prop. Law xxv. 189 An infant, lunatic, feme covert, or [etc.]. |
b. humorously: Wife.
| 1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 862 Those..femme couerts to all mankind. |