[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/maid/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [M](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/m/) / maid # maid noun (a maid, maids) «maid» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. A maid is a woman whose job is to clean and do housework in a hotel or someone's house. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#m1) 2. (old use) A maid is a girl or young unmarried woman: «a fair maid». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#m2) 3. A bridesmaid or maid of honour is a girl or woman who helps the bride at a wedding. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#m3) 4. An old maid is an older woman who has never married, a term that is now seen as old-fashioned and sometimes unkind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#m4) ### In the lessons In stories and history lessons, rich families had maids and servants; in fairy tales a «maid» is a young woman. In hotels today, room cleaners are sometimes called maids, though «housekeeper» is more polite. Phrases: «maid of honour», «housemaid», «old maid» (old-fashioned, unkind), «Maid Marian» (from Robin Hood). ### Examples - The hotel maid cleaned our room every morning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x1) - In the old house, a maid lit the fires at dawn. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x2) - The milk maid carried two buckets on a pole. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x3) - My sister will be the maid of honour at the wedding. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x4) - Maid Marian was Robin Hood's friend. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x5) - The story tells of a poor maid who married a prince. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x6) - Long ago, many girls went into service as maids. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x7) - What is the old maid thinking of? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/#x8) ### Note Countable: maids. Homophone: «made» (past of make) sounds the same. «Old maid» is old-fashioned and unkind; also a card game. Today «cleaner» or «housekeeper» is the more respectful job title. ## In Jewish tradition It means a female servant, as in "maid-servant", often belonging to a household. **Interpretation.** The Torah has laws that protect servants, such as limits on how a daughter sold as a servant may be treated and rest on the Sabbath for all in the house. ### Examples - And the man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maid-servants and men-servants, and camels and asses. (Torah GEN.30.43, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maid/#x1) - And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bore children. (Torah GEN.20.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maid/#x2) - And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant, she shall not go out as the men-servants do. (Torah EXO.21.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maid/#x3) - Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? (Prophets JER.2.32, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maid/#x4) - Corn shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the maids. (Prophets ZEC.9.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maid/#x5) - I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid? (Writings JOB.31.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maid/#x6) ### Note Countable: maids. Homophone: «made» (past of make) sounds the same. «Old maid» is old-fashioned and unkind; also a card game. Today «cleaner» or «housekeeper» is the more respectful job title. ## Early Modern English ### Meaning A young woman, or a female servant. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/maid/#m1) ### Then and now Today a maid is usually a female servant, such as a hotel cleaner. In these texts "maid" can mean a young woman or a female servant, and "maid-servant" means a female servant, which is an old use. ### Examples - And the man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maid-servants and men-servants, and camels and asses. (Torah GEN.30.43, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/maid/#x1) - What is the old maid thinking of? (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/maid/#x2) - And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bore children. (Torah GEN.20.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/maid/#x3) ### Note Today: maidservant; young woman. ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «maid» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maid/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«maid» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/maid.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «maid» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maid/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«maid» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/maid.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «maid» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/maid/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«maid» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/maid.html) on Mova free.