2. A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it. A letter desires all young wives to make themselves mistresses of Wingate's Arithmetic. Addison.
3. A woman regarded with love and devotion; she who has command over one's heart; a beloved object; a sweetheart. [Poetic] Clarendon.
4. A woman filling the place, but without the rights, of a wife; a concubine; a loose woman with whom one consorts habitually. Spectator.
5. A title of courtesy formerly prefixed to the name of a woman, married or unmarried, but now superseded by the contracted forms, Mrs., for a married, and Miss, for an unmarried, woman. Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul). Cowper.
6. A married woman; a wife. [Scot.] Several of the neighboring mistresses had assembled to witness the event of this memorable evening. Sir W. Scott.
7. The old name of the jack at bowls. Beau. & Fl. To be one's own mistress, to be exempt from control by another person.
MISTRESS
Mis"tress, v. i.
Defn: To wait upon a mistress; to be courting. [Obs.] Donne.
MISTRESSSHIP
Mis"tress*ship, n.
1. Female rule or dominion.