mistressly, a.
(ˈmɪstrɪslɪ)
[-ly1.]
1. Belonging to the mistress of a household. rare.
| 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) I. 298 Will he take from me the mistressly management, which I had not faultily discharged? |
2. [after masterly 2.] Like one who is a ‘mistress’ in her art.
| 1786 Mackenzie Lounger No. 76 ¶9, I have seen some of them go through their evolutions in a very masterly and mistressly manner. 1794 Walpole Let. to the Miss Berrys 27 Sept., I did see the new bust of Mrs. Siddons, and a very mistressly performance it is indeed. 1804 Southey Sel. Lett. (1856) I. 272 You who manage a pencil in so masterly, or mistressly a way. 1898 C. G. Robertson Voces Academicæ 253, I thought Gerty would have burst out crying, but she controlled herself in a mistressly way. |
3. Characteristic of a man's mistress. nonce-wd.
| 1939 A. Huxley After many a Summer i. xiii. 180 Flirting with him all through dinner, so that you got the old man hopping jealous of him. That was masterly. Or should one say mistressly? |