lady (redirected from ladyhoods)

Faint heart never won fair lady.

Prov. A timid suitor never won his lady. (Used to encourage boys or men to be bold in courting women.) Bill: I'd really like to go out with Alice, but what if she says no? Alan: You won't know till you ask her. Faint heart never won fair lady. Don't be so shy about talking to Edith. Faint heart never won fair lady.

See also: faint, fair, heart, never, won

Ladies first,

an expression of courtesy indicating that women should go first, as in going through a doorway.

See also: first

ladies' man

Fig. a man who likes the company of women and whose company is liked by women, the suggestion being that he likes to flirt with them. John is a real ladies' man. He hates all-male parties. The new boss is always flirting with the women in the office. He's a bit of a ladies' man.

See also: man

lady of the evening

Euph. a prostitute. I saw several ladies of the evening down on Main Street. He was approached by a lady of the evening.

See also: evening

till the fat lady sings and when the fat lady sings

Fig. at the end; a long time from now. (Supposedly from a tale about a child—sitting through an opera—who asks a parent when it will be over. "Not until the fat lady sings" is the answer.) Relax. It won't be over till the fat lady sings. We can leave with everybody else when the fat lady sings.

See also: fat, sing, till

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a bag lady

a woman who has no home and carries everything she owns around with her in plastic bags Did you see that bag lady looking through the rubbish at the side of the road?

See also: bag

a lady-killer  (old-fashioned)

a man who has sexual relationships with a lot of women With his good looks and charm, he was often cast as the lady-killer in films.

It's not over until the fat lady sings.  (informal)

something that you say when someone is losing a game or competition but you think there is still a chance they might win Tony's only two games behind. And as they say, it's not over until the fat lady sings.

See also: fat, sing, until

Lady Bountiful

a woman who enjoys showing people how rich and kind she is by giving things to poor people

Usage notes: Bountiful means generous.

I've got a lot of clothes that they might make use of but I'm worried they they might see me as some sort of Lady Bountiful.

Lady Muck  (British & Australian humorous)

a woman who thinks she is very important and should be treated better than everyone else Look at Lady Muck over there, expecting everyone to wait on her!

See also: muck