4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sacrament  \Sac"ra*ment\,  n.  [L.  sacramentum  an  oath,  a  sacred 
  thing  a  mystery,  a  sacrament,  fr  sacrare  to  declare  as 
  sacred,  sacer  sacred:  cf  F.  sacrement.  See  {Sacred}.] 
  1.  The  oath  of  allegiance  taken  by  Roman  soldiers;  hence  a 
  sacred  ceremony  used  to  impress  an  obligation;  a  solemn 
  oath-taking;  an  oath.  [Obs.] 
 
  I'll  take  the  sacrament  on't.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  The  pledge  or  token  of  an  oath  or  solemn  covenant;  a 
  sacred  thing  a  mystery.  [Obs.] 
 
  God  sometimes  sent  a  light  of  fire,  and  pillar  of  a 
  cloud  .  .  .  and  the  sacrament  of  a  rainbow,  to  guide 
  his  people  through  their  portion  of  sorrows.  --Jer. 
  Taylor. 
 
  3.  (Theol.)  One  of  the  solemn  religious  ordinances  enjoined 
  by  Christ,  the  head  of  the  Christian  church,  to  be 
  observed  by  his  followers;  hence  specifically,  the 
  eucharist;  the  Lord's  Supper. 
 
  Syn:  {Sacrament},  {Eucharist}. 
 
  Usage:  Protestants  apply  the  term  sacrament  to  baptism  and 
  the  Lord's  Supper,  especially  the  latter.  The  R.  Cath. 
  and  Greek  churches  have  five  other  sacraments,  viz., 
  confirmation,  penance,  holy  orders  matrimony,  and 
  extreme  unction.  As  sacrament  denotes  an  oath  or  vow, 
  the  word  has  been  applied  by  way  of  emphasis  to  the 
  Lord's  Supper,  where  the  most  sacred  vows  are  renewed 
  by  the  Christian  in  commemorating  the  death  of  his 
  Redeemer.  Eucharist  denotes  the  giving  of  thanks;  and 
  this  term  also  has  been  applied  to  the  same  ordinance, 
  as  expressing  the  grateful  remembrance  of  Christ's 
  sufferings  and  death.  ``Some  receive  the  sacrament  as 
  a  means  to  procure  great  graces  and  blessings;  others 
  as  an  eucharist  and  an  office  of  thanksgiving  for  what 
  they  have  received.''  --Jer.  Taylor. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sacrament  \Sac"ra*ment\,  v.  t. 
  To  bind  by  an  oath.  [Obs.]  --Laud. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  sacrament 
  n  :  a  formal  religious  act  conferring  a  specific  grace  on  those 
  who  receive  it 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  SACRAMENT,  n.  A  solemn  religious  ceremony  to  which  several  degrees  of 
  authority  and  significance  are  attached.  Rome  has  seven  sacraments, 
  but  the  Protestant  churches,  being  less  prosperous,  feel  that  they  can 
  afford  only  two  and  these  of  inferior  sanctity.  Some  of  the  smaller 
  sects  have  no  sacraments  at  all  --  for  which  mean  economy  they  will 
  indubitable  be  damned. 
 
 

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