The Collaborative International Dictionary
Maiden \Maid"en\, a.
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Of or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to, or characteristic of, a virgin; as, maiden innocence. ``Amid the maiden throng.''
--Addison.Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ?
--Shak. Never having been married; not having had sexual intercourse; virgin; -- said usually of the woman, but sometimes of the man; as, a maiden aunt. ``A surprising old maiden lady.''
--Thackeray.-
Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused. ``Maiden flowers.''
--Shak.Full bravely hast thou fleshed Thy maiden sword.
--Shak. -
Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been captured, or violated. -- T. Warton. Macaulay.
Maiden assize (Eng. Law), an assize which there is no criminal prosecution; an assize which is unpolluted with blood. It was usual, at such an assize, for the sheriff to present the judge with a pair of white gloves.
--Smart.Maiden name, the surname of a woman before her marriage.
Maiden pink. (Bot.) See under Pink.
Maiden plum (Bot.), a West Indian tree ( Comocladia integrifolia) with purplish drupes. The sap of the tree is glutinous, and gives a persistent black stain.
Maiden speech, the first speech made by a person, esp. by a new member in a public body.
Maiden tower, the tower most capable of resisting an enemy.
maiden voyage the first regular service voyage of a ship.
Wikipedia
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.
Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country. In many Westminster system governments, there is a convention that maiden speeches should be relatively uncontroversial, often consisting of a general statement of the politician's beliefs and background rather than a partisan comment on a current topic. This convention is not always followed, however. For example the maiden speeches of Pauline Hanson in the Australian House of Representatives in 1996, and Richard Nixon in the United States House of Representatives in 1947, broke the tradition. Margaret Thatcher's maiden speech in the British parliament in 1959 included the successful introduction of the bill which became the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.
There is also a strong convention in some countries that maiden speeches should not be subjected to interruption or interjection and should not be attacked or dismissed by subsequent speakers. Another convention in the UK House of Commons is that a Member of Parliament will include tribute in a maiden speech to previous incumbents of their seat.
Usage examples of "maiden speech".
It was sometimes remarked upon, both during and after Byron's rise to leadership, that his maiden speech in the House of Lords, February, 1812, urged clemency for the Luddites.
And now Marc has managed to rock the Human Polity to the core by defying Paul in that damned maiden speech of his before the Concilium.
Full regalia was trotted out only on ceremonial occasions like the Address from the Throne or for a new peer's maiden speech, and he couldn't remember seeing any new names on the roster.