Word Finder - concubines

definition

A sexual partner, especially a woman, to whom one is not or cannot be married.

definition

A woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife.

definition

A slave-girl or woman, kept for instance in a harem, who is held for sexual service.

He trusted no one; he murdered his mother, his sons, the sister whom he had married; to prevent his harem from falling to his enemies he murdered all his concubines, and his most faithful followers were never safe.

Sun Tzu had the two concubines who were in charge of the groups beheaded.

Abraham, it was believed, came from Harran (Carrhae), primarily from Babylonia, and Jacob re-enters from Gilead in the north-east with his Aramaean wives and concubines and their families (Benjamin excepted).

Edward called her the merriest of his concubines, and she exercised great influence; but, says More, "never abused it to any man's hurt, but to many a man's comfort and relief."

Then one of the king's concubines and his cup-bearer, cook, groom, messenger and horses were strangled and laid by him, and round about offerings of all his goods and cups of gold - no silver or bronze.

Many concubines are spoken of, he had several illegitimate children, and the morals of his daughters were very loose.

He clearly preferred the society of the semi-heathen Kumanians to that of the Christians; wore, and made his court wear, Kumanian dress; surrounded himself with Kumanian concubines, and neglected and ill-used his ill-favoured Neapolitan consort.

A man may, however, possess any number of concubines, who, though objects of jealousy to the legal wife, are tolerated by her in consideration of her superior position and power over them, a power which she often uses with great tyranny; but certain privileges are possessed by concubines, especially if they have borne Sons to their master.

Cardinal Pierre d'Ailly pleaded before the council of Constance in 1415 for the reform of "that most scandalous custom, or rather abuse, whereby many [clergy] fear not to keep concubines in public."

Next to these strictly lawful marriages came concubinage as a recognized legal status, so long as the two parties were not married and had no other concubines.

During the bitter conflict between laws which forbade sacerdotal marriages and long custom which had permitted them, it was natural that the legislators and the ascetic party generally should studiously speak of the priests' wives as concubines, and do all in their power to reduce them to this position.

Prices are reckoned out in numbers of such slaves and there must have been a constant call for them both as concubines and as household servants.

She bore him several children, but this did not prevent his having others by different concubines.

Since possession of the father's concubines apparently signified mastery and authority over him, Reuben tried to take matters into his own hands.

I will not resign myself to the usual lot of women who bow their heads and become concubines.

Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, and placed one of the King's favorite concubines at the head of each.