mistress

noun

1. 1

   A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership.

   She was the mistress of the estate-mansion, and owned the horses.

   At the far end of the houses the head gardener stood waiting for his mistress, and he gave her strips of bass to tie up her nosegay. This she did slowly and laboriously, with knuckly old fingers that shook.

2. 2

   A female head of household.

   In came the boy from over the way, who was suspected of not having board enough from his master; trying to hide himself behind the girl from next door but one, who was proved to have had her ears pulled by her Mistress.

3. 3

   A female teacher.

   games mistress

4. 4

   The other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations.

   “But soon his wrath being o’er, he took / “Another mistress, or new book:

   Count Krivtsov was considered a hopeless case by everyone, and yet he kept two mistresses.

5. 5

   A dominatrix.

   As part of BDSM play they can enhance the domineering tread of a mistress or hobble the steps of a slave.

6. 6

   A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it.

   A letter desires all young wives to make themselves mistresses of Wingate's Arithmetic.

7. 7

   A woman regarded with love and devotion; a sweetheart.

   he could not forbear putting his horse out of the way , and rode with his mistress behind him round about it

8. 8

   A married woman; a wife.

   Several of the neighbouring mistresses […] had assembled to witness the event of this memorable evening.

9. 9

   archaicA respectful mode of address to a woman.

10. 10

    obsoleteThe jack in the game of bowls.

    Faith, keep a bachelor still, and go to bowls, sir, Follow your mistress there, and prick and save, sir; For other mistresses will make you a slave, sir

    She took a bowl, drew up her skirt with her left hand, and rolled the weighted ball with a deft motion. It lightly kissed the mistress and stopped a few inches away.

11. 11

    A female companion to a master (a man with control, authority or ownership).

12. 12

    Also a form of masterFemale equivalent of master.

13. 13

    Also a form of misterFemale equivalent of mister.

verb

1. 1

   rareOf a woman: to master; to learn or develop to a high degree of proficiency.

   These films give a glimpse of women on the way to mistressing their own destiny.

2. 2

   To act or take the role of a mistress.

   […] housewifery, maternity, charity, the life conventual, the chatter of a court, the mistressing of a great house […]

Forms

plural

mistresses

past tense

mistressed

past participle

mistressed

present participle

mistressing

third person singular

mistresses