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due authority; entitled to obedience, credit, or acceptance; determinate; commanding. The sacred functions of authoritative teaching. Barrow.

striking with awe, or with reverence; dreadfulness; solemnity; as, the awfulness of this sacred place. The awfulness of grandeur. Johnson.

A meteorite, or similar rude stone artificially shaped, held sacred or worshiped as of divine origin.

all and highly esteemed variety of the edible white bean; -- so called from its size. -- Sacred bean. See under Sacred. -- Screw bean. See under Screw. -- Sea bean. (a) Same as Florida bean. (b) A red bean of unknown species used for ornament. -- Tonquin bean, or Tonka bean, the fragrant seed of Dipteryx odorata, a…

The sacred books of the Buddhists in Burmah. Malcom.

An Indian monkey (Macacus Rhesus), protected by the Hindoos as sacred. See Rhesus.

A book containing the sacred writings belonging to any religion; as, the Koran is often called the Mohammedan Bible. Fig.)

To speak of, or address, with impious irreverence; to revile impiously (anything sacred); as, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. So Dagon shall be magnified, and God, Besides whom is no god, compared with idols, Disglorified, blasphemed, and had in scorn. Milton. How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and aven…

ly; to pass or shade insensibly into each other, as colors. There is a tone of solemn and sacred feeling that blends with our conviviality. Irving.

ich Gautama is said to have received the heavenly light and so to have become Buddha. The sacred bo tree of the Buddhists (Ficus religiosa), which is planted close to every temple, and attracts almost as much veneration as the status of the god himself. . . . It differs from the banyan (Ficus Indica) by sending down no…

indoos. Brahman bull (Zoöl.), the male of a variety of the zebu, or Indian ox, considered sacred by the Hindoos.

n with horror and disgust from such a profane burlesque and abominable perversion of that sacred institute Burke.

A shrub or branch, properly, a branch of ivy (as sacred to Bacchus), hung out at vintners' doors, or as a tavern sign; hence, a tavern sign, and symbolically, the tavern itself. If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 't is true that a good play needs no epilogue. Shak.

Purification of the Virgin Mary; -- so called because the candles for the altar or other sacred uses are blessed on that day.

The collection of books received as genuine Holy Scriptures, called the sacred canon, or general rule of moral and religious duty, given by inspiration; the Bible; also, any one of the canonical Scriptures. See Canonical books, under Canonical, a.

g fixed over a bed, dais, or the like, or carried on poles over an exalted personage or a sacred object, etc. chiefly as a mark of honor. "Golden canoniec and beds of state." Dryden.

1. (R.C.Ch.) One of the ecclesiastical prince who constitute the pope's council, or the sacred college. The clerics of the supreme Chair are called Cardinals, as undoubtedly adhering more nearly to the hinge by which all things are moved. Pope Leo IX.

Great destruction of life, as in battle; bloodshed; slaughter; massacre; murder; havoc. The more fearful carnage of the Bloody Circuit. Macaulay.

Of or pertaining to Castalia, a mythical fountain of inspiration on Mt. Parnassus sacred to the Muses. Milton.

Lasting or aged a hundred years. Thet opened through long lines Of sacred ilex and centennial pines. Longfellow.