abigail

¹ American  

[ab-i-geyl] / ˈæb ɪˌgeɪl /

noun

1. a lady's maid.

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Abigail ² American  

[ab-i-geyl] / ˈæb ɪˌgeɪl /

noun

1. (in the Bible) the wife of Nabal and later of David.

2. a first name: from a Hebrew word meaning “joy of the father.”

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Abigail British  

/ ˈæbɪˌɡeɪl /

noun

1. Old Testament the woman who brought provisions to David and his followers and subsequently became his wife (I Samuel 25:1–42)

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Etymology

Origin of abigail

1645–55; after Abigail, name of attendant in play The Scornful Lady (1610), by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

Example Sentences

In the women's 60m hurdles, a personal best of 8.05secs secured victory for Abigail Pawlett, with Daniel Goriola taking the men's race in a season's best 7.78secs.

From BBC

Bennett said the Hell Cats were inspired by the wave of Democratic women veterans and former national security officials — Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Elaine Luria of Virginia— who ran for Congress in 2018 and flipped seats.

From Salon

"The trust does a good job of persuading people that nothing could have been done," says Katie Fowler, who lost her daughter Abigail in 2022 due to poor care and who helps coordinate Truth for Our Babies, a group set up by bereaved parents concerned about standards at UH Sussex.

From BBC

Abigail Boyd, a state lawmaker from the left-wing Greens party who was at the protest, said people had gathered in a large square at Sydney’s Town Hall that is frequently used for demonstrations.

From The Wall Street Journal

Local Greens lawmaker Abigail Boyd told local broadcaster ABC she had been hurt by police at the march and posted a selfie to social media wearing a neck brace.

From Barron's