handmaid

handmaid
handmaid (n.) late 14c., from HAND (Cf. hand) (n.) in the sense in close at hand + MAID (Cf. maid). Cf. Old English handþegn "personal attendant."

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Handmaid — Hand maid (h[a^]nd m[=a]d ), Handmaiden Hand maid en (h[a^]nd m[=a]d n), n. A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant. [WordNet sense 2] [1913 Webster] 2. Something or someone serving in a subordinate position; as, theology should… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • handmaid — ► NOUN 1) archaic a female servant. 2) a subservient partner or element …   English terms dictionary

  • handmaid — handmaiden UK [ˈhændˌmeɪd(ə)n] / US or handmaid UK [ˈhændˌmeɪd] / US noun [countable] Word forms handmaiden : singular handmaiden plural handmaidens Word forms handmaid : singular handmaid plural handmaids 1) old fashioned a woman who is someone… …   English dictionary

  • handmaid — /hand mayd /, n. 1. something that is necessarily subservient or subordinate to another: Ceremony is but the handmaid of worship. 2. a female servant or attendant. Also, handmaiden. [1350 1400; ME; see HAND, MAID] * * * …   Universalium

  • handmaid — hand•maid [[t]ˈhændˌmeɪd[/t]] also hand′maid en n. 1) a female servant or attendant 2) something subservient or subordinate: Ceremony is but the handmaid of worship[/ex] • Etymology: 1350–1400 …   From formal English to slang

  • handmaid — noun see handmaiden …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • handmaid — noun /ˈhændˌmeɪd/ A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant …   Wiktionary

  • Handmaid —    Servant (Gen. 16:1; Ruth 3:9; Luke 1:48). It is probable that Hagar was Sarah s personal attendant while she was in the house of Pharaoh, and was among those maid servants whom Abram had brought from Egypt …   Easton's Bible Dictionary

  • handmaid — Synonyms and related words: Charlie McCarthy, abigail, agent, amah, ancilla, appliance, au pair girl, ayah, betweenmaid, biddy, chambermaid, chaperon, companion, contrivance, cook, creature, device, duenna, dummy, dupe, femme de chambre, fille de …   Moby Thesaurus

  • handmaid — ‚hænd‚meɪd n. female servant, maid …   English contemporary dictionary

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