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# wife

noun (a wife, wives)

«wife» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A wife is the woman a person is married to. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#m1)
2. (old) In old stories and old phrases, "wife" can mean simply a woman, as in "old wives' tale". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories and family trees it shows who is married to whom: "husband and wife". In word problems it names family members who share things or work together. Phrases: husband and wife, his wife, ex-wife, old wives' tale (a common belief that is not true).

### Examples

- Mr Patel's wife is a nurse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x1)
- The farmer and his wife milked the cows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x2)
- They became husband and wife at the wedding. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x3)
- My uncle's wife is my aunt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x4)
- The king and his wife waved from the balcony. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x5)
- "Cracking your knuckles gives you big hands" is just an old wives' tale. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x6)
- A man and his wife share 24 apples equally, so each gets 12. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x7)
- His wife drove the kids to footy practice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x8)
- But his wife called after him:-- [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/#x9)

### Note

Irregular plural: one wife, two wives (f changes to v). Possessive: "his wife's car". "Old wives' tale" means a myth, not a story about wives. The partner word is "husband"; "spouse" or "partner" covers either.

## In Jewish tradition

A married woman, named often in the family lists of the Torah. In the primary lessons: In stories and family trees it shows who is married to whom: "husband and wife". In word problems it names family members who share things or work together. Phrases: husband and wife, his wife, ex-wife, old wives' tale (a common belief that is not true).

### Examples

- These are the sons of Adah Esau's wife. (Torah GEN.36.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/wife/#x1)
- These were the sons of Basemath Esau's wife. (Torah GEN.36.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/wife/#x2)
- These are the sons of Basemath Esau's wife. (Torah GEN.36.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/wife/#x3)
- and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah David's wife. (Prophets 2SA.3.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/wife/#x4)
- And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. (Prophets 1SA.18.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/wife/#x5)
- Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. (Writings PSA.109.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/wife/#x6)

### Note

Irregular plural: one wife, two wives (f changes to v). Possessive: "his wife's car". "Old wives' tale" means a myth, not a story about wives. The partner word is "husband"; "spouse" or "partner" covers either.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «wife» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wife/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«wife» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/wife.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «wife» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/wife/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«wife» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/wife.html) on Mova free.