5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Martyr  \Mar"tyr\,  n.  [AS.,  from  L.  martyr,  Gr  ma`rtyr,  ma`rtys, 
  prop.,  a  witness;  cf  Skr.  sm[.r]  to  remember,  E.  memory.] 
  1.  One  who  by  his  death,  bears  witness  to  the  truth  of  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  death  --South. 
 
  2.  Hence  one  who  sacrifices  his  life,  his  station,  or  what 
  is  of  great  value  to  him  for  the  sake  of  principle,  or  to 
  sustain  a  cause 
 
  Then  if  thou  fall'st,  O  Cromwell,  Thou  fall'st  a 
  blessed  martyr  !  --Shak. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Martyr  \Mar"tyr\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Martyred};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Martyring}.] 
  1.  To  put  to  death  for  adhering  to  some  belief,  esp. 
  Christianity;  to  sacrifice  on  account  of  faith  or 
  profession.  --Bp.  Pearson. 
 
  2.  To  persecute;  to  torment;  to  torture.  --Chaucer. 
 
  The  lovely  Amoret,  whose  gentle  heart  Thou  martyrest 
  with  sorrow  and  with  smart.  --Spenser. 
 
  Racked  with  sciatics,  martyred  with  the  stone. 
  --Pope. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  martyr 
  n  1:  one  who  suffers  for  the  sake  of  principle  [syn:  {sufferer}] 
  2:  one  who  voluntarily  suffers  death  as  the  penalty  for 
  refusing  to  renounce  their  religion 
  v  1:  kill  as  a  martyr;  "Saint  Sebastian  was  martyred" 
  2:  make  into  a  martyr  [syn:  {martyrize}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Martyr 
  one  who  bears  witness  of  the  truth,  and  suffers  death  in  the 
  cause  of  Christ  (Acts  22:20;  Rev.  2:13;  17:6).  In  this  sense 
  Stephen  was  the  first  martyr.  The  Greek  word  so  rendered  in  all 
  other  cases  is  translated  "witness."  (1.)  In  a  court  of  justice 
  (Matt.  18:16;  26:65;  Acts  6:13;  7:58;  Heb.  10:28;  1  Tim.  5:19). 
  (2.)  As  of  one  bearing  testimony  to  the  truth  of  what  he  has 
  seen  or  known  (Luke  24:48;  Acts  1:8,  22;  Rom.  1:9;  1  Thess.  2:5, 
  10;  1  John  1:2). 
 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  MARTYR,  n.  One  who  moves  along  the  line  of  least  reluctance  to  a 
  desired  death. 
 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words