virgin, n. and a.
I. 1. Eccl. An unmarried or chaste maiden or woman, distinguished for piety or steadfastness in religion, and regarded as having a special place among the members of the Christian church on account of these merits.
2. a. A woman (esp. a young woman) who is, or remains, in a state of inviolate chastity; an absolutely pure maiden or maid.
b. An old maid, a spinster.
c. transf. Of things.
d. Virginity. (After 1 Cor. vii. 37.)
rare.
e. Entom. A female insect producing fertile eggs by parthenogenesis.
(Cf. 13g.)
f. transf. A naïve, innocent, or inexperienced person. Freq. with adj. indicating sphere of activity.
colloq.
3. a. A young woman, a maid or maiden, of an age and character affording presumption of chastity.
b. In allusions to the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt. xxv. 1-13).
4. a. the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ. Also, an image or picture representing her.
b. attrib., or in possessive, in popular names of plants (see quots.); also (after Gaelic use)
Virgin Mary's nut, the Bonduc or Molucca nut.
c. Virgin Mary [after
bloody Mary s.v.
BLOODY a. and
adv. C. 2], a glass of tomato juice (see quots.). Chiefly
U.S.
5. a. the Virgin (also
the blessed, holy, etc.
, Virgin), = sense 4.
b. A picture or image of the Virgin Mary; a madonna.
6. A person of either sex remaining in a state of chastity. Usually in pl.
7. A youth or man who has remained in a state of chastity.
8. Astr. (With capital initial.) =
VIRGO.
9. a. ellipt. Applied to varieties of apple and pear.
b. Ent. Applied to species of moths and butterflies.
10. A cigarette made of Virginia tobacco.
slang. Now
Obs. or
rare.
11. attrib. and
Comb., as
virgin-birth,
-born adj.,
-produced adj.,
-violator,
-worship;
virgin-bower =
VIRGIN'S BOWER;
virgin-stock, the Virginia stock;
virgin-tree, Oriental sassafras.
12. In possessive collocations:
virgin's garland, a garland of flowers and coloured paper formerly carried at the funeral of a maiden;
virgin's honey,
-oil, =
virgin honey,
oil (see 18b);
virgin's sea =
Virginian sea
VIRGINIAN a.1 1d;
Virgin's spike (see
SPIKE n.1 1b);
virgin's thread (see quot.).
II. attrib. passing into
adj. 13. a. Of persons (usually of the female sex): Being a virgin or virgins; remaining in a state of chastity.
b. In predicative use. Also
fig., and const.
of and
to.
rare.
c. the Virgin Mother, the Virgin Mary.
d. virgin widow, a widow who has been deprived of her husband before the consummation of the marriage.
e. transf.
f. Of a fortress, city, etc.: That has never been taken or subdued.
g. virgin generation,
procreation, or (
re)
production, parthenogenesis.
14. Composed or consisting of virgins.
15. Of or pertaining to a virgin; appropriate to, or characteristic of, virgins:
a. Of parts of the body, articles of dress, etc.
b. Of qualities, feelings, etc.
16. a. Comparable to a virgin in respect of purity or freedom from stain; pure, unstained, unsullied. In early use in fig. context.
b. Not yet touched, handled, or employed for any purpose; still undisturbed or unused; perfectly fresh or new.
c. Perfectly free or clear
of something.
17. a. Employed for the first time.
b. Forming a first essay or attempt; coming at the beginning or outset.
18. Special collocations:
a. virgin bush, bush land not brought under cultivation;
virgin country, country that has not yet been opened up to the outside world for trade, etc.;
virgin earth,
soil, etc., soil which has not hitherto been brought into cultivation, and retains all its natural power of producing vegetation;
virgin forest, a forest of natural growth as yet untouched by man;
virgin land, previously uncultivated land,
spec. [tr. Russ.
tseliná] in Western Siberia and Kazakhstan, land made the subject of an intensive agricultural programme by the Soviet government since 1954;
virgin rock, etc., native rock not yet cut into or quarried.
b. In special names of various substances (usually denoting one in a pure unmixed state or obtained as a first product), as
virgin barm,
breccia,
comb,
copper,
dip,
gold,
wool, etc. (see quots.).
19. Comb., as
virgin-eyed,
-minded,
-vested adjs.
Hence
virgin v. (
a)
intr. with
it. To remain a virgin. (
b)
trans. To speak of, mention (virgins).