alewife

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“
Any person violating the provisions of this statute shall forfeit one dollar for every alewife or shad so taken.

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Definitions (10)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A fish (Alosa pseudoharengus) closely related to the herrings and native to North American Atlantic waters and some inland lakes.
  2. noun A woman who keeps an alehouse.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (4)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples

  • Already there, was a hot sun and just breeze enough to send the dust flying down the road, so they were glad to clear their throats with a glass of beer at the ale-stake in the village, where the fair alewife gave Nigel a cold farewell because he had no attentions for her, and Aylward a box on the ear because he had too many. —  Sir Nigel
  • Any person violating the provisions of this statute shall forfeit one dollar for every alewife or shad so taken. —  Acts and resolves passed by the General Court
  • FI8HBBIBS: alewife, in Herring or Monument river in Bourne, regulation of. • j^ fish, protection of, exhibitions, etc., to increase public interest in. —  Acts and resolves passed by the General Court
  • Walleyes have proven to be an effective way of controlling the alewife, an invasive species that threatens the ecological balance of Otsego Lake and made the water less clear, according to the release.
  • Because that's what's coming, the alewife will be gone. " —  JSOnline.com
 

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Alewife has been looked up 146 times, favorited 0 times, listed 11 times, and commented on 0 times.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Probably alteration (influenced by alewife2) of obsolete allowes, a type of shad, from French alose, shad, from Old French, from Late Latin alausa.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. A particular use of alewife, prob. in allusion to their corpulent appearance (see quot.). The form aloofe, recorded in 1678, is said to be the Indian name of the fish; but it is prob. an error for alewife.
 

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/ˈeɪlwaɪf/
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