virgins definition

Unused; pristine; in a known initial state. "Let's bring up a virgin system and see if it crashes again." (Especially useful after contracting a virus through SEX.) Also, by extension, buffers and the like within a program that have not yet been used.

(01 Mar 1994)

1. Being a virgin; chaste; of or pertaining to a virgin; becoming a virgin; maidenly; modest; indicating modesty; as, a virgin blush. "Virgin shame." "Innocence and virgin modesty . . . That would be wooed, and unsought be won." (Milton)

2. Pure; undefiled; unmixed; fresh; new; as, virgin soil; virgin gold. "Virgin Dutch." "The white cold virgin snow upon my heart." (Shak) "A few ounces of mutton, with a little virgin oil." (Landor)

3. Not yet pregnant; impregnant.

1. A woman who has had no carnal knowledge of man; a maid.

2. A person of the male sex who has not known sexual indulgence. "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins." (Rev. Xiv. 4) "He his flesh hath overcome; He was a virgin, as he said." (Gower)

3. <astronomy> See Virgo.

4. <zoology> Any one of several species of gossamer-winged butterflies of the family Lycaenidae.

5. <zoology> A female insect producing eggs from which young are hatched, though there has been no fecundation by a male; a parthenogenetic insect. The Virgin, or The Blessed Virgin, the Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord.

<botany> Virgin's bower, a name given to several climbing plants of the genus Clematis, as C. Vitalba of Europe, and C. Virginiana of North America.

Origin: L. Virgo, -inis: cf. OF. Virgine, virgene, virge, vierge, F. Vierge.

(01 Mar 1998)