Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Mistress
Mis′tress
,Noun.
1.
A woman having power, authority, or ownership; a woman who exercises authority, is chief, etc.; the female head of a family, a school, etc.
The late queen’s gentlewoman! a knight's daughter!
To be her
To be her
mistress
' mistress
! Shakespeare
2.
A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it.
A letter desires all young wives to make themselves
mistresses
of Wingate's Arithmetic. Addison.
3.
A woman regarded with love and devotion; she who has command over one's heart; a beloved object; a sweetheart.
[Poetic]
Clarendon.
5.
A title of courtesy formerly prefixed to the name of a woman, married or unmarried, but now superseded by the contracted forms,
Mrs.
, for a married, and Miss
, for an unmarried, woman. Now
Mistress
Gilpin (careful soul). Cowper.
6.
A married woman; a wife.
[Scot.]
Several of the neighboring
mistresses
had assembled to witness the event of this memorable evening. Sir W. Scott.
7.
The old name of the jack at bowls.
Beau. & Fl.
To be one's own mistress
, to be exempt from control by another person.
Mis′tress
,Verb.
I.
To wait upon a mistress; to be courting.
[Obs.]
Donne.
Webster 1828 Edition
Mistress
MIS'TRESS
,Noun.
1.
A woman who governs; correlative to servant, slave, or subject. My mistress here lies murdered in her bed.
2.
The female head of a family.3.
That which governs; a sovereign. Rome was mistress of the world.4.
One that commands, or has possession and sovereignty. The queen is mistress of the Indies.5.
A female who is well skilled in any thing; as, she is mistress of arithmetic.6.
A woman teacher; an instructress of a school.7.
A woman beloved and courted.8.
A woman in keeping for lewd purposes.9.
A term of contemptuous address.MIS'TRESS
,Verb.
T.