3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Profane  \Pro*fane"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Profaned};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Profaning}.]  [L.  profanare:  cf  F.  profaner.  See 
  {Profane},  a.] 
  1.  To  violate,  as  anything  sacred;  to  treat  with  abuse, 
  irreverence,  obloquy,  or  contempt;  to  desecrate;  to 
  pollute;  as  to  profane  the  name  of  God;  to  profane  the 
  Scriptures,  or  the  ordinance  of  God. 
 
  The  priests  in  the  temple  profane  the  sabbath. 
  --Matt.  xii. 
  5. 
 
  2.  To  put  to  a  wrong  or  unworthy  use  to  make  a  base 
  employment  of  to  debase;  to  abuse;  to  defile. 
 
  So  idly  to  profane  the  precious  time.  --Shak. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Profane  \Pro*fane"\,  a.  [F.,  fr  L.  profanus  properly,  before 
  the  temple,  i.  e.,  without  the  temple,  unholy;  pro  before  + 
  fanum  temple.  See  1st  {Fane}.] 
  1.  Not  sacred  or  holy;  not  possessing  peculiar  sanctity; 
  unconsecrated;  hence  relating  to  matters  other  than 
  sacred;  secular;  --  opposed  to  sacred,  religious,  or 
  inspired;  as  a  profane  place  ``Profane  authors.''  --I. 
  Disraeli 
 
  The  profane  wreath  was  suspended  before  the  shrine. 
  --Gibbon. 
 
  2.  Unclean;  impure;  polluted;  unholy. 
 
  Nothing  is  profane  that  serveth  to  holy  things 
  --Sir  W. 
  Raleigh. 
 
  3.  Treating  sacred  things  with  contempt,  disrespect, 
  irreverence,  or  undue  familiarity;  irreverent;  impious. 
  Hence  specifically;  Irreverent  in  language;  taking  the 
  name  of  God  in  vain;  given  to  swearing;  blasphemous;  as  a 
  profane  person,  word  oath,  or  tongue.  --1  Tim.  i.  9. 
 
  Syn:  Secular;  temporal;  worldly;  unsanctified;  unhallowed; 
  unholy;  irreligious;  irreverent;  ungodly;  wicked; 
  godless;  impious.  See  {Impious}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  profane 
  adj  1:  characterized  by  profanity  or  cursing;  "foul-mouthed  and 
  blasphemous";  "blue  language";  "profane  words"  [syn:  {blasphemous}, 
  {blue}] 
  2:  not  sacred  or  concerned  with  religion;  "sacred  and  profane 
  music";  "children  being  brought  up  in  an  entirely  profane 
  environment"  [ant:  {sacred}] 
  3:  not  holy  because  unconsecrated  or  impure  or  defiled  [syn:  {unconsecrated}, 
  {unsanctified}] 
  4:  grossly  irreverent  toward  what  is  held  to  be  sacred; 
  "blasphemous  rites  of  a  witches'  Sabbath";  "profane 
  utterances  against  the  Church";  "it  is  sacrilegious  to 
  enter  with  shoes  on"  [syn:  {blasphemous},  {sacrilegious}] 
  v  1:  corrupt  morally  [syn:  {corrupt},  {pervert},  {demoralize},  {debauch}, 
  {debase},  {vitiate},  {deprave},  {misdirect}] 
  2:  violate  the  sacred  character  of  a  place  such  as  a  graveyard 
  [syn:  {desecrate},  {outrage},  {violate}] 

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