DAME, noun [Gr., to subdue] Literally, a mistress; hence, a lady; a title of honor to a woman. It is now generally applied to the mistress of a family in the common ranks of life; as is its compound, madam. In poetry, it is applied to a woman of rank, In short, it is applied with propriety to any woman who is or has been the mistress of a family, and it sometimes comprehends women in general.
Content
Rights and sources
Review source, license and attribution information for this content.
Content
Webster's Dictionary 1828
American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.