The state of a woman in labour; childbirth.

‘Confinement’ at child-birth: ‘Our Lady's Bands’: see Our Lady, n. phrases.

Childbed.

The being in childbed; accouchement.

The process of childbirth from the onset of uterine contractions to delivery of the fetus and placenta; an instance of this. Also: this process…

The action of a woman taking to bed for the birth of a child; confinement. Frequently in at (the) downlying: on the verge of going into labour. Cf…

A lying-in. Now only dialect.

(sense 2.)

A birth, a confinement; a laying or incubation of eggs.

With adverbs, as crying out, exclamation, calling out, outcry; †spec. accouchement (obsolete); crying up, extolling, laudation, etc.

The confinement of a woman to bed for the birth of a child; the delivery of a child, childbirth. Also: an instance of this. Cf. accoucheur, n.

Lying in at childbirth, confinement.

spec. The being in child-bed; child-birth, delivery, accouchement. (The ordinary term for this in colloquial use: see confine, v. 6. The Middle…

Medicine. The confinement of a woman to bed for childbirth. Cf. accouchement, n. Obsolete. rare.