dower
Also found in: Dictionary, Legal, Financial.(redirected from dowerless)
dower
the life interest in a part of her husband's estate allotted to a widow by law
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
References in periodicals archive
As if in contrast, in another little lane outside, St Nicholas throws through a window a bag of gold apiece for three
dowerless maidens.
rest in the threadbare brown merino of
dowerless girls.
Women's power and standing in the family depended crucially on the possession of a dowry, and law and custom had encouraged them to regard a dowry as their due.(60) When at the end of the sixteenth century many patrician women found themselves
dowerless and effectively disinherited, it must have been a cruel reminder of their status as pawns in the financial and social strategies of the casa.
Copyright © 2003-2025 Farlex, Inc
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.