womankind
(ˈwʊmənkaɪnd)
[f. woman n. + kind n. Cf. womenkind.]
1. The female part of the human race; the female sex; women in general.
| c 1375 Cursor M. 9024 (Fairf.) For alle we come of womman kinde. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 317 Pharao..heelde womman kynde ful feble to be rebel. a 1400 Prymer (1891) 21 Byseche for the deuowte wommankynde [Prymer (1895) 6 wommans kynde]. c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 259 in Babees Bk., Speke neuer vnhonestly of woman kynde. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxxxiv. 4 The foul delyte Off woman-kynd that dreidis for na schame. 1535 Coverdale Lev. xviii. 22 Thou shalt not lye with mankynde as with womankynde. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. v. 52 In gentle Ladies brest, and bounteous race Of woman kind. a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams ii. (1692) 35 This man would suffer no woman-kind to do any service within his gates. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 9 In womankind, I can love nothing but you. 1782 Cowper Gilpin v, I do admire Of womankind but one. 1822 Byron Juan vi. xxvii, My wish is..That womankind had but one rosy mouth, To kiss them all at once from North to South. 1847 Tennyson Princess vi. 290 The soft and milky rabble of womankind. |
† b. appositively or predicatively: Female. Obs.
| c 1570 R. Coxe Injunctions, Their chyldren and seruauntes both mankinde and womankinde. 1577 J. Aylmer Articles to be enquired of A 4 b, Any of his parish..eyther mankind or womankinde. 1614 R. Tailor Hog hath lost Pearl ii. D 2 b, Did I but only know her to be woman kind, I thinke it were sufficient. |
2. The women of a family, household, company, country, etc.; female relatives and friends (sometimes also servants); (one's) women-folk.
| 1573 L. Lloyd Pilgr. Princes (1586) 8 Agreeing that the womankinde should passe away that night. 1825 Southey Lett. (1856) III. 518 My womankind join in kind regards. 1850 Thackeray Pendennis lvi, Pen, chafing under the persecution which his womankind had inflicted upon him. 1862 Kingston Three Midshipmen viii, All the womankind in and out of the house, for a long way round. |
† 3. A female human being; a woman. Obs.
| a 1685 Warn. Married Women xxviii. in Child Ballads (1892) IV. 363/2 Since that time the woman-kind Was never seen no more. 1711 Acts & Laws Massachusetts (1724) 270 Whosoever shall be convicted of Assaulting..any Woman or Woman-kind. 1816 Scott Antiq. ix, ‘Where's the younger womankind?’.. ‘Indeed, brother,..Maria..set away to the Halket Craig-head—I wonder ye didna see her. 1823 Byron in Trelawny Shelley (1887) 213 If we had a womankind on board, she would set us all at loggerheads. |
† 4. Womanhood. (Cf. mankind A. 2.) Obs. rare.
| 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 1 Peter iii. 7 Let your wisdome succour the frailtie of their womankynde. |