wife

If a husband treats his wife well, she will treat him well in return. I do the dishes because it gives Shannon much needed time to relax, and a good husband makes a good wife.

Two people who are married to each other. Another way of saying "husband and wife." How are you two doing, now that you're man and wife?

To marry a woman. I can't believe my son is taking a wife on Saturday. Kids grow up so fast! Is there any hope of Sir Reginald taking a wife in the near future?

To marry a woman. Is it true that Sir Reginald is taking Lady Jane to wife?

Prov. The associates of public figures must not even be suspected of wrongdoing. (The ancient Roman Julius Caesar is supposed to have said this when asked why he divorced his wife, Pompeia. Because she was suspected of some wrongdoing, he could not associate with her anymore.) Jill: I don't think the mayor is trustworthy; his brother was charged with embezzlement. Jane: But the charges were never proved. Jill: That doesn't matter. Caesar's wife must be above suspicion. When the newspapers reported the rumor that the lieutenant governor had failed to pay his taxes, the governor forced him to resign, saying, "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion."

Prov. If a husband or man wants his wife or girlfriend to be respectful and loving to him, he should be respectful and loving to her. Don't blame your wife for being short-tempered with you; you've been so unpleasant to her lately. A good husband makes a good wife.

Inf. a phrase used by a man when inquiring about a male friend's wife. Tom: Hi, Fred, how are you? Fred: Good. And you? Tom: Great! How's the wife? Fred: Okay, and yours? Tom: Couldn't be better. Bill: Hi, Bob. How's the wife? Bob: Doing fine. How's every little thing? Bill: Great!

a very large number of people It's a huge outdoor concert - I imagine the world and his wife will be there.

see under wives.

A woman whose ethics should not be questioned. A Roman emperor's wife was deemed to be above reproach; if her morals were called in question, it was a serious problem to her husband's image and political and social power. The phrase came down over the centuries to be applied to any woman, married to a leader or not, whose behavior was—or should be—beyond criticism. (According to the historian Suetonius, what Julius Caesar actually said translates as “My wife should be as much free from suspicion of a crime as she is from a crime itself.”)