wom‧an S1 W1 / wʊmən / 名词 ( 复数形式 women / wɪmɪn / )

1 female person [可数名词] an adult female person :

I was talking to a woman I met on the flight.

married women

a popular women’s magazine

When a woman is pregnant, the levels of hormones in her body change.

woman priest/doctor etc (= a priest etc who is a woman )

Ireland’s first woman president

women artists

2 any woman [单数形式] formal women in general :

A woman’s work is never done (= used to say that women have a lot to do ) .

3 businesswoman/spokeswoman etc a woman who has a particular kind of job :

Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher

4 another woman/the other woman informal a woman that a man is having a sexual relationship with, even though he is married to someone else :

I’m sure he’s got another woman.

5 be your own woman to make your own decisions and be in charge of your own life, without depending on anyone else

6 partner [单数形式] spoken a word meaning a wife or girlfriend, which many women find offensive :

Did he bring his new woman with him? → kept woman

7 form of address [不可数名词] old-fashioned not polite a rude way of speaking to a woman when you are angry, annoyed etc

8 servant [可数名词] a female servant or person who does cleaning work for you in your house → cleaner , daily help

→ old woman , → make an honest woman (out) of somebody at honest ( 8 ) , → be a woman of the world at world 1 ( 21 )

THESAURUS

woman a female adult person : a young woman with dark brown hair

lady a polite word for a woman – used especially when you do not know the woman, or when the person you are talking to does not know the woman : A glass of white wine please, for this lady here. | The young lady stood up and shook my hand.

girl a young female person – usually used about someone younger than about twenty : a very pretty girl | teenage girls

female formal a woman – used especially when you are giving information about women, for example in formal surveys and reports : Females account for 46% of Internet users.

relating to women

female relating to women or girls : female voters | Advertisers try to sell things by using images of the female body.

feminine used about qualities that are considered to be typical of women : You must not cry or show any other feminine weakness. | the ideal of feminine beauty

womanly behaving, dressing etc in a way that is thought to be typical of or suitable for a woman – used to show approval : her womanly figure | the womanly virtues of compassion and patience

girly/girlie informal behaving or dressing in a way that is thought to be typical of young girls, or suitable for a girl – often used disapprovingly : Stop being so girly! It’s only a mouse! | a very girlie pink dress

effeminate disapproving a man who is effeminate looks or behaves like a woman : His long blonde hair made him look rather effeminate. | a pale effeminate-looking young man