Search the Dictionary

Of fundamental importance; preëminet; superior; chief; principal. The cardinal intersections of the zodiac. Sir T. Browne. Impudence is now a cardinal virtue. Drayton. But cardinal sins, and hollow hearts, I fear ye. Shak. Cardinal numbers, the numbers one, two, three, etc., in distinction from first, second, third, et…

The office, rank, or dignity of a cardinal.

To exalt to the office of a cardinal. Sheldon.

The condition, dignity, of office of a cardinal

To depose from the rank of cardinal.

To degrade from the cardinalship.

rtant commissions in foreign countries, one of his duties being to bring to a newly named cardinal his insignia of office.

algamate two races; to amalgamate one race with another. Ingratitude is indeed their four cardinal virtues compacted and amalgamated into one. Burke.

ologne, Germany, in the 16th century. It has a bearded face or mask supposed to represent Cardinal Bellarmine, a leader in the Roman Catholic Counter Reformation, following the Reformation; -- called also graybeard, longbeard.

A square cap worn by ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church. A cardinal's berretta is scarlet; that worn by other clerics is black, except that a bishop's is lined with green. [Also spelt beretta, biretta, etc.]

The papal chamberlain; the cardinal who presides over the pope's household. He has at times possessed great power. [Written also camerlengo and camarlengo.]

One used as the mark or ensign of some rank, office, or dignity, as that of a cardinal.

Vexation; irritation of mind; rage. The cardinal in a chafe sent for him to Whitehall. Camden.

One who is on an equality with another. In once he come to be a cardinal, He'll make his cap coequal with the crown. Shak.

as, a college of heralds; a college of electors; a college of bishops. The college of the cardinals. Shak. Then they made colleges of sufferers; persons who, to secure their inheritance in the world to come, did cut off all their portion in this. Jer. Taylor.

The set of apartments within which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are continuously secluded while engaged in choosing a pope.

One of the two ecclesiastics allowed to attend a cardinal in the conclave.

A body of cardinals or other ecclesiastics to whom as intrusted some departament of the church business; as, the Congregation of the Propaganda, which has charge of the missions of the Roman Catholic Church.

An assembly of prelates; a session of the college of cardinals at Rome. Pius was then hearing of causes in consistory. Bacon.

on occasion of ceremony; as, the dean of the diplomatic corps; -- so called by courtesy. Cardinal dean, the senior cardinal bishop of the college of cardinals at Rome. Shipley. -- Dean and chapter, the legal corporation and governing body of a cathedral. It consists of the dean, who is chief, and his canons or preben…