ladies
English edit
Etymology edit
As a lavatory for women, via misspelling of ladies'. Compare gents.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
ladies
- plural of lady
- 2014, C.S. Walter, Abandoned Bridges, pp. 105 f.:
- He wet his thumb with saliva pressing on the tongue, ran it up and down faster over the letter 'I' of 'TOILET', the 'LADIES TOILET' was transformed into 'LADIES TO LET' in no time.
- (obsolete) genitive of lady
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 59:
- The morrow next about the wanted howre, / The Dwarfe cald at the doore of Amyas, / To come forthwith unto his Ladies bowre.
- 1589–1593, William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, act IV, scene iii, page 24:
- Vrge not my fathers anger (Eglamoure) / But thinke vpon my griefe (a Ladies griefe) / And on the iuſtice of my flying hence, / To keepe me from a moſt vnholy match, / Which heauen and fortune ſtill rewards with plagues.
- 1690, John Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: A Tragedy Acted at the Theatre Royal, London: Jo. Hindmarſh, act V, page 118:
- And ſince not only a dead Fathers fame, / But more a Ladies honour muſt be touch’d, / Which nice as Ermines will not bear a Soil ; / Let all retire ; that you alone may hear / What ev’n in whiſpers I won’d tell your ear.
- (poker slang, Texas hold 'em) An initial hand consisting of a pair of queens.
Coordinate terms edit
Derived terms edit
Noun edit
ladies (uncountable)
- (British, euphemistic) A ladies' room: a lavatory intended for use by women.
- Pardon me, I need to visit the ladies.
Synonyms edit
Coordinate terms edit
See also edit
References edit
- “ladies”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Anagrams edit
French edit
Alternative forms edit
Noun edit
ladies f
Anagrams edit
Middle English edit
Etymology 1 edit
From lady + -es (“plural ending”).
Noun edit
ladies
Etymology 2 edit
From lady + -es (“genitive ending”).
Noun edit
ladies
Spanish edit
Noun edit
ladies f pl