sb. Forms: see LADY and -SHIP. Also 7–8 colloq. la’ship.
1. The condition of being a lady; rank as a lady.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 100. Ȝif þu hauest uorȝiten nu þi wurðfule lefdischipe,—go & folewe þeos geat.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 7. And trukie for a mon of lam þe heuenliche lauerd & lutlin her lafdischipe.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 577. More haf I of ioye & blysse here-inne, Of ladyschyp gret & lyuez blom.
1623. Massinger, Bondman, III. ii. How dost thou like Thy ladyship, Zanthia?
1771. Contempl. Man, II. 152. This Lady did not enjoy her Title long—she died in the fifth Year of her Ladyship.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Wks. 1874, II. 134. What facility and plenteousness of knighthood, lordship, ladyship, royalty, loyalty!
1874. Trollope, Lady Anna, iv. 26. He hated the countess-ship of the countess, and the ladyship of the Lady Anna.
2. The personality of a lady. In her, your ladyship, a respectful substitute for she, you, referring to a lady; in mod. use only to one whose rank is designated by the titular prefix ‘Lady.’ Also used sarcastically.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 191. She … drof hym forthe, vnnethe list her knowe That he was servaunt vn to hir ladishippe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3352. Ne trawes not, tru lady, þat I take wolde Thy ladyship to losse, ne in lust holde.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3715. I leue it to ȝour ladyschip þis lange noȝt vnknawen.
a. 1500. Flower & Leaf, lxxi. Yet I would pray Your ladiship … That I might knowe … What that these knightes be in rich armour.
1551. Crowley, Pleas. & Pain, Ded. I thought it my duty to dedicate the same vnto youre Ladishyppes name.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. ii. 120. If it please your Ladiships, you may see the end.
1650. Nicholas Papers (Camden), 174. Lord Jermyn in a jeering manner, as her ladyshipp conceaved, told her he hoped now shortly Sir Edward Herbert would returne to Paris.
1700. Congreve, Way of World, II. v. O Mem, your Laship staid to peruse a Pecquet of Letters.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 37, ¶ 1. I waited upon her Ladyship pretty early in the morning.
a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1865), II. 34. Her ladyship is in a huff.
fig. 1595. Shaks., John, III. i. 119. Thou Fortunes Champion, that do’st neuer fight But when her humorous Ladiship is by To teach thee safety.
† b. concr. = LADY. Obs.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 301. My sone, of that unkindship, The which toward thy ladiship, Thou pleignest, for she woll the nought, Thou art to blamen of thy thought.
c. nonce-use. One who is called ‘her ladyship.’
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 386. Constant at routs, familiar with a round Of ladyships, a stranger to the poor.
† 3. Kindness or beneficence befitting a mistress.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 128. This maide … To whom this lady hath behote Of ladiship all that she can To vengen her upon this man. Ibid., III. 66. Tho quod the quene … I wol do the such ladiship, Wherof thou shalt for evermo Be riche.
4. A district governed by a lady, nonce-use.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 46, ¶ 3. All that long Course of Building is under particular Districts or Ladiships, after the Manner of Lordships in other Parts.
Hence Ladyship v. (nonce-wd.) trans., to give the title of ‘Your Ladyship’ to. Also to ladyship it.
1813. E. S. Barrett, Heroine (1815), III. 9. ‘Ladyship! Oh, her ladyship!’ and away he cantered, ladyshipping it, till he was out of hearing.
1820. Hermit in London, IV. 165. He so ladyshiped Lady —— what’s her ugly name, that it was quite disgusting.
