paramour — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A person who is the object of one's love, especially in an affair or romance; a lover; also, a sexual partner.

   Usage

   • Archaic

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   No ſolace could her Paramour intreat / Her once to ſhovv, ne court, nor dalliaunce, / But vvith bent lovvring brovves, as ſhe vvould threat, / She ſcould, and frovvned vvith frovvard countenaunce, / Vnvvorthy of faire Ladies comely gouernaunce.

   It vvas no ſeaſon then for her [Nature] / To vvanton vvith the Sun her luſty Paramour.

   More examples (3)

   Their ſociety vvas more like that of a den of outlavvs upon a doubtful frontier; of a levvd tavern for the revels and debauches of banditti, aſſaſſins, bravos, ſmugglers, and their more deſperate paramours, mixed vvith bombaſtick players, the refuſe and rejected offal of ſtrolling theatres, […]

   Yes, in […] these very halls, to have lived the paramour of their murderer, the slave at once and the partaker of his pleasures, was to render every breath which I drew of vital air, a crime and a curse.

   "That is wicked, or rather, villainous: Queen Madásima was a very distinguished lady, and it should not be assumed that so high a princess would become the paramour of a sawbones or a quack, and whoever believes the contrary is lying, like the base scoundrel he is.

2. A person (especially someone who is not one's spouse) with whom one has an illicit or secret affair; also (Scotland, US, law), one with whom a married person has an adulterous affair.

   Usage

   • broadly
   • Dated

   Examples

   to run away with a paramour

   More examples (1)

   And if it ſo that ſhe be not his wyfe (bicauſe ſhe was once his brothers wyfe) as your Doctors ſaye and affirme, then no man can excuſe your kynge nor ſaye but that ſhe hath ben euyil handeled, and kepte lyke a Concubine or Paramour for the bodely appetite, which is a great ſpotte, ſhame, ⁊ rebuke to her and to her whole lynage, […]

   I ſue not novv, thy Paramoure to be, / But as a husband to be linck'd to thee.

   More examples (4)

   You vvould believe that the Images of Men-Saints vvere ſome Princes of Perſia-land vvith their proud Apparel; and the Idols of our VVomen-Saints vvere nice vvell-trimmed Harlots tempting their Paramours to vvantonneſs.

   A scene unparalleled in our legal history was exhibited in the Court of King's Bench. The seducer [Ford Grey, 1st Earl of Tankerville] appeared with dauntless front, accompanied by his paramour [Lady Henrietta Berkeley, his wife's sister].

   [G]ive them / Their dowers, according to what / Is reasonable: they should be chaste, not lustful, nor taking paramours: […]

   The action scenes are deafening and punchily staged by director Louis Leterrier (The Transporter), though I wish he'd set more time aside to spend with Nobby, his paramour Dawn (Rebel Wilson), their shaven-headed brood, and friends.

3. A woman who is the object of a knight's love, and who he fights for.

   Usage

   • broadly
   • Historical

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   It is the leaſt of his famous aduentures, that hee vndertaketh to be Greenes [Robert Greene's?] aduocate: […] He may declare his deere affection to his Paramour; or his pure honeſtye to the vvorld; […]

   Chloris, the Queene of Flovvers; / The ſvveetneſſe of all Shovvres; / The ornament of Bovvres; / The top of Par-amours!

4. God as the object of a person's devotion or love.

   Usage

   • broadly
   • Obsolete

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Clad you with yͤ ſilke of ſinceritie, with yͤ ſaten [satin] of ſanctitie, with the purple of probitie. Thus prune and pricke vp your ſelues, and God himſelfe ſhall be your paramour, ⁊c.

Verb

1. To have an illicit or secret affair with a person, especially someone who is not one's spouse.

   Usage

   • Dated
   • Intransitive

   Examples

   [W]ine loued I deeply, dice deerely, and in vvoman out paromord the Turke, […]

   [I]ndeed a daughter is better ill married, then vvell Paramour'd.

   More examples (5)

   [pages 277–278] A bridle shreded from the skin of an unbaptized infant, with bits forged in Satan’s armoury, possessed irresistible power when shaken above any living thing. […] At midnight, his mistress cautiously approaching his bed-side, shook the charmed bridle over his face, saying ‘Up Horsie,’ when, to his utter astonishment, he arose in the form of a gray horse! […] [page 280] To ride post on the human body was a privilege enjoyed only by those who paramoured with Satan.

   [T]he dissection of Charlie Borthwick's character was instantly resumed by Mrs M'Kittrick, who declared that he might ha'e found better employment at hame, than paramouring wi' the like o' Widow M'Cauchie.

   The paramouring matron left / A babe and husband both bereft; […]

   I do not think I am fit to marry, to make an obedient wife or affectionate mother; my imagination is paramoured with me, and would disqualify me, I think, for the every-day, matter-of-fact cares and duties of the mistress of a household and the head of a family.

   Los Angeles County established a Court of Conciliation, led in the 1950s by Judge Louis Burke. The Court had "jurisdiction over all persons having any relation to the domestic controversy." This meant it could even call in "third party 'paramours'" and tell them to quit their paramouring. The aim was to save marriages.

Adverb

1. Of loving, etc.: out of or through romantic feeling or sexual desire; passionately.

   Usage

   • not-comparable
   • Obsolete

   Synonyms

   devotedlypassionately

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   […] Cleopatra, doughter of Ptolomee late kinge of Egypt (whome Ceſar [Julius Caesar] in his lyfe helde for his Concubine) the ſame lady Antoni [Mark Antony] (with whome Octauiane [later Augustus] deuided the empire) loued alſo peramours, abandonynge his wyfe, whiche was ſuſter to Octauian.

   Because you love par amours, is it reasonable you should throw away your life and ours?

   Wolnoth is bound par-amours, to a certain fair Norman dame; and, I trow well, prefers her charms here to the thought of his return.

2. Used chiefly when addressing someone: out of or through devotion or kindness; as a favour or kindness.

   Usage

   • not-comparable
   • Obsolete

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   [T]he Lord Chiefe Iuſtice ſtood vp, and forbad the proceedings, alotting Paramour the Lands vvith the ſatiſfying of the plaintifes, and thereupon commanded Nailor to giue Thorn againe his Gauntlet, vvhich he vnvvillingly did; and ſo the Combate being ended, vve may haue leaue to proceed.

Noun

1. a woman's lover

   Broader terms

   lover

2. a woman who cohabits with an important man

   Synonyms

   concubinecourtesandoxy

   Broader terms

   mistresskept womanfancy woman