\Maid"en\, n. [OE. maiden, meiden, AS. m[ae]gden, dim. of
AS. m[ae]g?, fr. mago son, servant; akin to G. magd,
m["a]dchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. m["o]gr son, Goth. magus
boy, child, magaps virgin, and perh. to Zend. magu youth. Cf.
{Maid} a virgin.]
1. An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not
   experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid.
         She employed the residue of her life to repairing of
         highways, building of bridges, and endowing of
         maidens.                              --Carew.
         A maiden of our century, yet most meek. --Tennyson.
2. A female servant. [Obs.]
3. An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in
   Scotland for beheading criminals. --Wharton.
4. A machine for washing linen.

\Maid"en\, a.
1. Of or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to,
   or characteristic of, a virgin; as, maiden innocence.
   ``Amid the maiden throng.'' --Addison.
         Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ? --Shak.
2. Never having been married; not having had sexual
   intercourse; virgin; -- said usually of the woman, but
   sometimes of the man; as, a maiden aunt. ``A surprising
   old maiden lady.'' --Thackeray.
3. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.
   ``Maiden flowers.'' --Shak.
         Full bravely hast thou fleshed Thy maiden sword.
                                               --Shak.
4. Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been
   captured, or violated. -- T. Warton. Macaulay.
{Maiden assize} (Eng. Law), an assize which there is no
   criminal prosecution; an assize which is unpolluted with
   blood. It was usual, at such an assize, for the sheriff to
   present the judge with a pair of white gloves. --Smart.
{Maiden name}, the surname of a woman before her marriage.
{Maiden pink}. (Bot.) See under {Pink}.
{Maiden plum} (Bot.), a West Indian tree ({Comocladia
   integrifolia}) with purplish drupes. The sap of the tree
   is glutinous, and gives a persistent black stain.
{Maiden speech}, the first speech made by a person, esp. by a
   new member in a public body.
{Maiden tower}, the tower most capable of resisting an enemy.

\Maid"en\, v. t.
To act coyly like a maiden; -- with it as an indefinite
object.
      For had I maiden'd it, as many use. Loath for to grant,
      but loather to refuse.                   --Bp. Hall.