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aining to a priest or the priesthood; sacerdotal; befitting or becoming a priest; as, the priestly office; a priestly farewell. Shak.

The exercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven.

a soothsayer; a diviner; a prophet. Augur of ill, whose tongue was never found Without a priestly curse or boding sound. Dryden.

ciple of inflammability. Priestley. Dephlogisticated air, oxygen gas; -- so called by Dr. Priestly and others of his time. -- De`phlo*gis`ti*ca"tion, n.

im. i. 12. Receive the Holy Ghost, said Christ to his apostles, when he enabled them with priestly power. Jer. Taylor.

Priestly. " Levitical questions." Milton.

or class of people, or pertaining to a particular subject; as, the lore of the Egyptians; priestly lore; legal lore; folklore. "The lore of war." Fairfax. His fair offspring, nursed in princely lore. Milton.

Priestly policy; the policy of a priesthood; esp., in an ill sense, fraud or imposition in religious concerns; management by priests to gain wealth and power by working upon the religious motives or credulity of others. It is better that men should be governed by priestcraft than by violence. Macaulay.…

The office or character of a priest; the priestly function. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

Priestly. B. Jonson.

The quality or state of being priestly. R. Browning.

ced by a German sect settled near there. They zealously practice Bible reading and reject priestly dominion and all external rites of worship. -- Stun"dism (#), n.

To deprive or divest or a frock; specifically, to deprive of priestly character or privilege; as, to unfrock a priest.

A covering or garment; some part of clothing or dress; specifically (Eccl.), any priestly garment. "Royal vestiment." Chaucer. "Priests in holy vestments." Shak. The sculptor could not give vestments suitable to the quality of the persons represented. Dryden.