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to relieve of blame; to acquit. He exculpated himself from being the author of the heroic epistle. Mason. I exculpate him further for his writing against me. Milman.

aining to the exordium of a discourse: introductory. The exordial paragraph of the second epistle. I. Taylor.

Certain constitutions or decretal epistles, not at first included with others, but subsequently made a part of the canon law.

A letter or epistle; -- so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received.

An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.

A psalm sung or chanted immediately before the collect, epistle, and gospel, and while the priest is entering within the rails of the altar.

beyond laconicism; for sometimes I return only yes, or no, to questionary or petitionary epistles of half a yard long. Pope. His sense was strong and his style laconic. Welwood.

intelligible characters on something adapted to conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle. The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural. Walsh.

Containing or consisting of obscene or unchaste language; as, a loose epistle. Dryden. At loose ends, not in order; in confusion; carelessly managed. -- Fast and loose. See under Fast. -- To break loose. See under Break. -- Loose pulley. (Mach.) See Fast and loose pulleys, under Fast. -- To let loose, to free from…

"Our Lord cometh;" -- an expression used by St. Paul at the conclusion of his first Epistle to the Corinthians (xvi. 22). This word has been used in anathematizing persons for great crimes; as much as to say, "May the Lord come quickly to take vengeance of thy crimes." See Anathema maranatha, under Anathema.…

aul, or his writings; resembling, or conforming to, the writings of Paul; as, the Pauline epistles; Pauline doctrine. My religion had always been Pauline. J. H. Newman.

Containing a petition; of the nature of a petition; as, a petitionary epistle. Swift.

Of or pertaining to St.Peter; as, the Petrine Epistles.

An epistle. [Obs.]

Inquiring; asking questions; testing. "Questionary epistles." Pope.

g, as reading a book, playing a game, etc. For the understanding of any one of St. Paul's Epistles I read it all through at one sitting. Locke.

Containing stratagem; as, a stratagemical epistle. [R.] Swift.

ransacted in, or authorized by, a synod; as, synodical proceedings or forms. "A synodical epistle." Bp. Stillingfleet.

e method, as well as force of the argument, I shall here draw up a short synopsis of this epistle. Bp. Warburton.

ng. Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle. 2 Thess. ii. 15. Tradition Sunday (Eccl.), Palm Sunday; -- so called because the creed was then taught to candidates for baptism at Easter.