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Ecclesiastical waste; impairing of church property by an incumbent, through neglect or by intention. The business of dilapidations came on between our bishop and the Archibishop of York. Strype.

ircuit or extent of a bishop's jurisdiction; the district in which a bishop exercises his ecclesiastical authority. [Frequently, but improperly, spelt diocess.]

The enforcement of methods of correction against one guilty of ecclesiastical offenses; reformatory or penal action toward a church member.

doing something enjoined; specifically, in the Roman Catholic Church, exemption from some ecclesiastical law or obligation to God which a man has incurred of his own free will (oaths, vows, etc.). A dispensation was obtained to enable Dr. Barrow to marry. Ward.

To give dispensation. He [the pope] can also dispense in all matters of ecclesiastical law. Addis & Arnold (Cath. Dict. ) To dispense with. (a) To permit the neglect or omission of, as a form, a ceremony, an oath; to suspend the operation of, as a law; to give up, release, or do without, as services, attention, etc.; t…

Ecclesiastical. [Obs.] Milton.

Of or pertaining to the church. See Ecclesiastical. "Ecclesiastic government." Swift.

Strong attachment to ecclesiastical usages, forms, etc.

General; universal; in ecclesiastical usage, that which concerns the whole church; as, an ecumenical council. [Written also .] Ecumenical Bishop, a title assumed by the popes. -- Ecumenical council. See under Council.

That which is established; as: (a) A form of government, civil or ecclesiastical; especially, a system of religion maintained by the civil power; as, the Episcopal establishment of England. (b) A permanent civil, military, or commercial, force or organization. (c) The place in which one is permanently fixed for residen…

the modern Greek Church, a deputy of the patriarch , who visits the clergy, investigates ecclesiastical cases, etc.

of communion; especially, to cut off, or shut out, from communion with the church, by an ecclesiastical sentence.

The act of communicating or ejecting; esp., an ecclesiastical censure whereby the person against whom it is pronounced is, for the time, cast out of the communication of the church; exclusion from fellowship in things spiritual.

. A shutting out from communion; excommunication. [Obs.] Excommunication is the utmost of ecclesiastical judicature. Milton.

city. -- Free church. (a) A church whose sittings are for all and without charge. (b) An ecclesiastical body that left the Church of Scotland, in 1843, to be free from control by the government in spiritual matters. -- Free city, or Free town, a city or town independent in its government and franchises, as formerly t…

out with denunciations or censures; -- said especially of menaces or censures uttered by ecclesiastical authority. They fulminated the most hostile of all decrees. De Quincey.

An invested sum, whose income is devoted to a specific object; as, the fund of an ecclesiastical society; a fund for the maintenance of lectures or poor students; also, money systematically collected to meet the expenses of some permanent object.

A cross formed of four capital gammas, formerly used as a mysterious ornament on ecclesiastical vestments, etc. See Fylfot.

The land belonging, or yielding revenue, to a parish church or ecclesiastical benefice.

on for spectators, at a, race course, etc. -- Grand vicar (Eccl.), a principal vicar; an ecclesiastical delegate in France. -- Grand vizier. See under Vizier.