housekeeper

(hous’ké’pér), n. [ khepere; housekeeper 2903 holder.) 1. One who occupies a house with spread widely over northern Europe and America, grow his family; a householder. ing on the tops of houses and on walls. It is a succulent herb with very thick, bushy leaves and pink flowers, and Her brother was Gamwel, of great Gamwel-Hall, is very tenacious of life. It contains malic acid combined A noble house-keeper was he, with lime. The leaves are applied by the common people Robin Hood’s Birth (Child’s Ballads, V. 344), to bruises and old ulcers; and it was formerly be- Thomas Cholmondeley was a cryed-up landlord, a lieved that houseleeks constant and generous housekeeper. growing on a housetop Quoted in Ormerod’s Cheshire (2d ed.), IT. 156. were a safeguard against The modern Heyptian does not become a housekeeper lightning. In Scotland it until he is married. is called fow or fouet. E. W. Lane, Modern Egyptians, IT. 269. In England it is sometimes called home wort. 2. A woman, whether mistre or servant, who Howsleke, her be, or sen superintends the work of a household; a woman grene, barb a Jovis, semwho regulates the internal affairs of a house. perviva, jubarbium. Prompt. Parv., p. 251. There were some stately footmen. There was a ve pretty show of young women; and above them the hand houseleek-tree some old face and fine responsible portly figure of the (hous ‘lék-tré),. housekeeper towered pre-eminent. Sempervivum (Aloni- Dickens, Bleak House, xviii. um) arboreum, a na- 8. One who keeps much at home; a stay-attive of the Levant, home. [Rare.] whence it is said to How do you both? you are manifest housekeepers. What have been introduced are you sewing here? Shak., Cor., i. 3. into England in 1640. 4+. One who keeps or guards the house; a It bears loose pan i house-dog. cles with a profusion The valued file of beautiful yellow Distinguishes the swift [dog], the slow, the subtle, blo oms. The housekeeper, the hunter, Shak., Macbeth, iii. 1. housele (hous’les), housekeeping (hous’ké”ping), ». and a. [