beldam


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bel·dam

or bel·dame  (bĕl′dəm, -dăm)
n.
An old woman, especially one who is considered ugly.

[Middle English, grandmother : bel, indicating respect (from Old French bel, fine, from Latin bellus; see deu- in Indo-European roots) + dame, lady; see dame.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

beldam

(ˈbɛldəm) or

beldame

n
1. archaic an old woman, esp an ugly or malicious one; hag
2. an obsolete word for grandmother
[C15: from bel- grand (as in grandmother), from Old French bel beautiful, from Latin bellus + dam mother, variant of dame]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bel•dam

(ˈbɛl dəm, -dæm)

also bel•dame

(-dəm, -ˌdeɪm)

n.
an old woman, esp. an ugly one; hag.
[1400–50; late Middle English: grandmother <bel- grand- (< Middle French bel fine; see belle) + dam mother (see dam 2]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.beldam - an ugly evil-looking old womanbeldam - an ugly evil-looking old woman  
old woman - a woman who is old
2.beldam - a woman of advanced agebeldam - a woman of advanced age    
old woman - a woman who is old
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

beldam

or beldame
noun
An ugly, frightening old woman:
Slang: biddy.
Archaic: trot.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
But the strong-willed old beldam scowled, and beckoned, and flung the energy of her purpose so forcibly at this poor combination of rotten wood, and musty straw, and ragged garments, that it was compelled to show itself a man, in spite of the reality of things.
and yet you look fat and fair, child,' says the old beldam; and with that she stroked me over the face.
The wrinkled beldams involved themselves in their rusty cloaks as he passed by; even the mild-featured maidens seemed to dread contamination; and many a stern old man arose, and turned his repulsive and unheavenly countenance upon the gentle boy, as if the sanctuary were polluted by his presence.
These include plans for 95 homes in Benner Lane, 85 homes in Beldam Bridge Road, 84 homes in Kings Road, 23 homes in Kings Road, and another 35 homes in Kings Road.
While being bored and neglected by her busy parents in the real world, Coraline finds herself at the centre of attention of her Other Mother and Other Father in the alternate world before finding out that she is tricked and trapped by Beldam, the super creepy villain originally in the form of the Other Mother, who wants to capture children's souls.
The specter of self-disappointment drives him further into reflection on time and its failure to allow some appointed destinies to flourish: "Had Pyrrhus not fallen by a beldam's hand in Argos or Julius Caesar not been knifed to death.
The "shot that changed cricket", a picture taken at Kennington Oval in 1905 by self-taught photographer and keen cricketer George Beldam, is one that youngsters the world over have sought to recreate.
The "shot that changed cricket", a photograph taken at Kennington Oval in 1905 by a self-taught photographer and keen cricketer, George Beldam, credited as being the first man to concentrate on "action photography", was originally an image in Great Batsmen, authored by Beldam.
M2 EQUITYBITES-April 4, 2016-Indutrade to acquire Beldam Crossley Ltd in UK
NORDIC BUSINESS REPORT-April 4, 2016-Indutrade to acquire Beldam Crossley Ltd in UK
The Judge, Beldam L.J., with whom Aldous and Tuckey L.JJ.
The pillars of Edwin's life included his humble birth, poor but worthy parents, lack of education, inspiration by natural scenes and fascination with a Beldam's tales of tradition and legend.