lady-in-waiting

lady-in-waiting
   1. a concubine in the Japanese court
   Literally, a female who attends to female royalty:
    A dozen concubines, euphemistically termed ladies-in-waiting, nightly awaited the drop of the imperial handkerchief at their feet to follow him into his quarters. (Behr, 1989, writing about the Emperor Meiji, Hirohito's dissolute father)
   2. a pregnant woman
   Mainly humorous use, punning on the court official. The obsolete English lady in the straw was a woman in the process of being delivered of a baby.

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • Lady in waiting — Lady La dy (l[=a] d[y^]), n.; pl. {Ladies} (l[=a] d[i^]z). [OE. ladi, l[ae]fdi, AS. hl[=ae]fdige, hl[=ae]fdie; AS. hl[=a]f loaf + a root of uncertain origin, possibly akin to E. dairy. See {Loaf}, and cf. {Lord}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A woman who… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lady-in-waiting — n. a lady appointed to attend to a queen or princess. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lady-in-waiting — [lād′ēin wāt′iŋ] n. pl. ladies in waiting a lady of the court attending, or waiting upon, a queen or princess …   English World dictionary

  • lady in waiting — lady in waiting, or la|dy in wait|ing «LAY dee ihn WAY tihng», plural ladies in waiting, la|dies in wait|ing. a lady of the royal household who accompanies or serves a queen or princess …   Useful english dictionary

  • lady-in-waiting — plural ladies in waiting n a woman who looks after and serves a queen or ↑princess …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • lady-in-waiting — (plural ,ladies in waiting) noun count a woman whose job is to look after a queen or princess …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • lady-in-waiting — ► NOUN (pl. ladies in waiting) ▪ a woman who attends a queen or princess …   English terms dictionary

  • Lady-in-waiting — For the 1976 album, see Lady in Waiting (album). For the 1957 novel, see Lady in Waiting (novel). Princess Marie Louise of Savoy was lady in waiting to Marie Antoinette of France. A lady in waiting …   Wikipedia

  • Lady in Waiting — Infobox Album | Name = Lady in Waiting Type = Album Artist = The Outlaws Released = 1976 Recorded = ??? Genre = Southern Rock Length = 40:51 Label = Arista Producer = Paul A. Rothchild Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|3|5… …   Wikipedia

  • lady-in-waiting — noun a lady appointed to attend to a queen or princess • Hypernyms: ↑Lady, ↑noblewoman, ↑peeress * * * ˌlady in ˈwaiting [lady in waiting ladies in waiting] …   Useful english dictionary

  • lady-in-waiting — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms lady in waiting : singular lady in waiting plural ladies in waiting a woman whose job is to look after a queen or princess …   English dictionary

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