noun
A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership.
She was the mistress of the estate-mansion, and owned the horses.
At the far end of the houses the head gardener stood waiting for his mistress, and he gave her strips of bass to tie up her nosegay. This she did slowly and laboriously, with knuckly old fingers that shook.
A female head of household.
A female teacher.
games mistress
The other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations.
A dominatrix.
As part of BDSM play they can enhance the domineering tread of a mistress or hobble the steps of a slave.
verb
Of a woman: to master; to learn or develop to a high degree of proficiency.
These films give a glimpse of women on the way to mistressing their own destiny.
To act or take the role of a mistress.
[…] housewifery, maternity, charity, the life conventual, the chatter of a court, the mistressing of a great house […]
noun
Used as the title of a married woman before her name. Now used only in the abbreviated form Mrs.
The sound of Mistress Affery cautiously chaining the door before she opened it, caused them both to look that way.
Mistress Cordelia Carfax shivered and gathered her silk shawl about her shoulders. […] Any shows of affection Mistress Carfax did display were usually reserved for her pedigree pug.
Used as the title of a female dominant.