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Husband vs Girlfriend - What's the difference?

husband | girlfriend |

As nouns the difference between husband and girlfriend

is that husband is (lb) the master of a house; the head of a family; a householder while girlfriend is a female partner in a romantic relationship.

As a verb husband

is to manage or administer carefully and frugally; use to the best advantage; economise.

husband

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (lb) The master of a house; the head of a family; a householder.
  • (lb) A tiller of the ground; a husbandman.
  • *, IV.3:
  • *:a withered tree, through husbands toyle, / Is often seene full freshly to have florisht
  • *(rfdate) (George Hakewill) (1578-1649)
  • *:the painful husband , ploughing up his ground
  • *(rfdate) (John Evelyn) (1620-1706)
  • *:He is the neatest husband for curious ordering his domestick and field accommodations.
  • (lb) A prudent or frugal manager.
  • *(rfdate) (Thomas Fuller) (1606-1661)
  • *:God knows how little time is left me, and may I be a good husband , to improve the short remnant left me.
  • A man in a marriage or marital relationship, especially in relation to his spouse.
  • :
  • *(rfdate) (William Blackstone) (1723-1780)
  • *:The husband and wife are one person in law.
  • *
  • *:A great bargain also had beenthe arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire. In fact, that arm-chair had been an extravagance of Mrs. Bunting. She had wanted her husband to be comfortable after the day's work was done, and she had paid thirty-seven shillings for the chair.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
  • , chapter=6, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=But Sophia's mother was not the woman to brook defiance. After a few moments' vain remonstrance her husband complied. His manner and appearance were suggestive of a satiated sea-lion.}}
  • The male of a pair of animals.
  • :(Dryden)
  • (lb) A manager of property; one who has the care of another's belongings, owndom, or interests; a steward; an economist.
  • A large cushion with arms meant to support a person in the sitting position.
  • :
  • A polled tree; a pollard.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * wife

    Hypernyms

    * partner (may or may not be married ) * spouse (may also apply to wife )

    Derived terms

    * ex-husband * house husband * hubby * husbandage * husbandly * husbandman * husbandry * husbandless * ship's husband

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To manage or administer carefully and frugally; use to the best advantage; economise.
  • For my means, I'll husband them so well, / They shall go far. — Shakespeare.
  • To conserve.
  • * 1719, (Daniel Defoe), (Robinson Crusoe)
  • ...I found pens, ink, and paper, and I husbanded them to the utmost; and I shall show that while my ink lasted, I kept things very exact, but after that was gone I could not, for I could not make any ink by any means that I could devise.
  • (obsolete) To till; cultivate; farm; nurture.
  • * (rfdate) (Evelyn)
  • Land so trim and rarely husbanded .
  • To provide with a husband.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • To engage or act as a husband to; assume the care of or responsibility for; accept as one's own.
  • Derived terms

    * husbandable * husbandry

    girlfriend

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A female partner in a romantic relationship.
  • Marc went to the park with his girlfriend and watched the sunset with her.
  • A female friend.
  • Mary always enjoyed hanging out with her girlfriend Jessica.

    Synonyms

    * (female friend) chickfriend (slang)

    Usage notes

    * The term is used to describe any girl or woman in a romantic relationship with another person. * An adult woman in such a non-marital relationship is sometimes described instead as a significant other'' or ''partner'', especially if the two partners are living together. Since ''girlfriend'' and ''partner mean different things to different people, the distinctions between the terms are subjective, and which term is used in a relationship will ultimately be determined by personal preference. * The use of girlfriend for a female non-romantic friend of another female is limited in geographic distribution and sometimes preferred by older generations of speakers.

    Alternative forms

    * girl friend * girl-friend

    See also

    female partner in a romantic relationship * boyfriend * * lover * partner * significant other * sweetheart * wife * lady friend a female friend * boyfriend * buddy * friend * pal