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the gospel; one who is put to death for his religion; as, Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Chaucer. To be a martyr, signifies only to witness the truth of Christ; but the witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with persecution, that martyrdom now signifies not only to witness, but to witness by d…

The condition of a martyr; the death of a martyr; the suffering of death on account of adherence to the Christian faith, or to any cause. Bacon. I came from martyrdom unto this peace. Longfellow.

Act of martyrizing, or state of being martyrized; torture. B. Jonson.

To make a martyr of. Spenser.

In the manner of a martyr.

A martyrology. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Pertaining to martyrology or martyrs; registering, or registered in, a catalogue of martyrs.

A writer of martyrology; an historian of martyrs. T. Warton.

A history or account of martyrs; a register of martyrs. Bp. Stillingfleet.

Martyrdom. [R.] Fuller.

A priest who becomes a martyr.

The first martyr; the first who suffers, or is sacrificed, in any cause; -- applied esp. to Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

To degrade from the rank of a martyr. [Obs.] Fuller.

remains of the human body when burnt, or when "returned to dust" by natural decay. Their martyred blood and ashes sow. Milton. The coffins were broken open. The ashes were scattered to the winds. Macaulay.

crown or accidental glory added to the bliss of heaven, as a reward to those (as virgins, martyrs, preachers, etc.) who have overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil.

a follower of Christ and endures persecution for his faith. He who dies for religion is a martyr; he who suffers for it is a confessor. Latham. Our religion which hath been sealed with the blood of so many martyrs and confessors. Bacon.

attempt to gain; to solicit; to seek. They might almost seem to have courted the crown of martyrdem. Prescott. Guilt and misery . . . court privacy and silitude. De Quincey.

To put an untimely death; to put an end to; to destroy. "Irencut off by martyrdom." Addison. (c) To interrupt; as, to cut off communication; to cut off (the flow of) steam from (the boiler to) a steam engine. (d) To intercept; as,, to cut off an enemy's retreat.

A painting representing the beheading of a saint or martyr, esp. of St. John the Baptist.

ur; frequent; often repeated; renewed hour by hour; continual. In hourly expectation of a martyrdom. Sharp.