how do you define the word "mistress"

[hoihtah]

while i was listening to sting's song which uses a line from shakespears sonnet,
it occured to me that the word 'mistress' could have a double yet opposite meaning.

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun
My hunger for her explains everything I've done
-Sting

on one hand, mistress is a formal term for a female, a counter part of mister for males.
it could also mean a woman with mastery over something.

but on the negative side, it could also mean a woman in an extramarital sexual relations.

insteresting. hmm..

if this sounds like a nef... hey it's friday afternoon, almost 4pm.
and i was just trying to understand who this mistress is referring to in both shakespear sonnet and sting's song.

but how do you guys see the word mistress?

 

[pyonir]

mistress = what you call the dominatrix that whips you.

 

[hoihtah]

pyonir
sounds like you have some experience on this matter.

 

[Doggiedog]

I don't know about Mistress but I do know I am someone's Mister.

 

[docmanhattan]

I believe a male whose wife cheats on him is called a cuckold. So to be cuckolded is to have your wife taking another man's arms. This is only marginally related to your question, but it made me think of the term.

 

[Jzero]

I'll ask my mistress (your girlfriend) and get back to you.

 

[StageLeft]

She is basically a screw-toy.

 

[hoihtah]

if you look up the word mistress in dictionary.com,
it has some intersting notes about english words that describe a prostitute.

it just goes to prove that while in english, there's no prominent gender of masculine or feminant... like in spanish or french, it does have a suttle inferances of male superiority.

for promiscuous females, there are more than enough words found in english, most of them with a negative connotations. ie slut, tramp.
but for males, there are far too less, most of them with either a nuetral or positive connotion. ie. stud, casanova.

interesting, ain't it?

 

[pyonir]

<< pyonir
sounds like you have some experience on this matter. >>


Who me!? nah, i don't get into that stuff......

 

[hoihtah]

<< I'll ask my mistress (your girlfriend) and get back to you.
>>



my girlfriend? i asked her already; she didn't know though.
by the way, don't tell my wife about her.

 

[hoihtah]

<<

<< pyonir
sounds like you have some experience on this matter. >>


Who me!? nah, i don't get into that stuff...... >>



haha... i like how you put that ... at the end.
very classy.

 

[Jzero]

<<

<< I'll ask my mistress (your girlfriend) and get back to you.
>>



my girlfriend? i asked her already; she didn't know though.
by the way, don't tell my wife about her. >>



I won't tell your wife about your mistress if you don't tell my mistress about our lover.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

mistress = a woman that a man has an affair with. I.E. he's not married to her. I.E. Cheating on his wife with her.

nik

 

[hoihtah]

<<

<<

<< I'll ask my mistress (your girlfriend) and get back to you.
>>



my girlfriend? i asked her already; she didn't know though.
by the way, don't tell my wife about her. >>



I won't tell your wife about your mistress if you don't tell my mistress about our lover. >>



hey! Leave HIM OUT! no need to bring our lover into this conversation!!!

 

[Jzero]

<<

<<

<<

<< I'll ask my mistress (your girlfriend) and get back to you.
>>



my girlfriend? i asked her already; she didn't know though.
by the way, don't tell my wife about her. >>



I won't tell your wife about your mistress if you don't tell my mistress about our lover. >>



hey! Leave HIM OUT! no need to bring our lover into this conversation!!! >>



Haven't you been paying attention? Skoorb's already replied to this thread...it's too late to leave him out!
(apologies to Skoorb hahaha)

 

[hoihtah]

<< attention? Skoorb's already replied to this thread...it's too late to leave him out!
(apologies to Skoorb hahaha) >>



just wait till Mrs. Skoorb find out about the affair.