| 释义 |
free-woman
A woman who is (personally) free; also, a woman who possesses the freedom of a city. (Cf. freeman.)
1611Bible 1 Macc. ii. 11 Of a free-woman shee is become a bondslaue. 1635R. N. Camden's Hist. Eliz. i. 3 She was alwaies her owne free woman and obnoxious to none. 1641Hinde J. Bruen li. 168 Are ye not rather the children of the bond woman..than children of the free woman. 1766Entick London I. 471 Any freeman or freewoman of this city.
Add:b. (Usu. unhyphened and with equal stress.) A woman of independent, advanced, or ‘liberated’ views; one who considers herself to be free of the conventions traditionally governing feminine behaviour. Cf. advanced ppl. a. 2 a, emancipated ppl. a. 2, new woman s.v. woman n. 1 i.
1898G. B. Shaw You never can Tell ii. 272 Must not! Why not? I am a free woman: why should I not tell you? 1911Freewoman 23 Nov. 3/2 Our interest is in the Freewoman herself, her psychology, philosophy,..and achievements. 1920D. H. Lawrence Women in Love iv. 51 These free women who have emancipated themselves from the aristocracy. 1946E. O'Neill Iceman Cometh ii. 128, I began to feel I was a traitor for helping a lot of cranks and bums and free women plot to overthrow our government. 1958A. White tr. Colette's Claudine in Paris xv. 189, I had been searching for..a master. Free women are not women at all. 1986Country Life 2 Oct. 1054/1 She wanted to be an artist and..a free woman, refusing to be called ‘Mrs’. |