{This "cliché" provokes me to mention, by way of counterexample, the Iron Lady M. Thatcher (who is a chemist by training).}


Thank you for your post. I believe it is a fine example of embedded connotations in the word "lady", which I believe is the intention of this thread. In your example the "Iron Lady" has become a capitalized title so "iron" can influence and lend a "toughness" to the word "lady" which the word lacks by itself. Contrast this to "Mrs. Thatcher joined the other ladies at the table".