5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sacred  \Sa"cred\,  a.  [Originally  p.  p.  of  OE  sacren  to 
  consecrate,  F.  sacrer,  fr  L.  sacrare,  fr  sacer  sacred, 
  holy,  cursed.  Cf  {Consecrate},  {Execrate},  {Saint}, 
  {Sexton}.] 
  1.  Set  apart  by  solemn  religious  ceremony;  especially,  in  a 
  good  sense  made  holy;  set  apart  to  religious  use 
  consecrated;  not  profane  or  common;  as  a  sacred  place  a 
  sacred  day  sacred  service. 
 
  2.  Relating  to  religion,  or  to  the  services  of  religion;  not 
  secular;  religious;  as  sacred  history. 
 
  Smit  with  the  love  of  sacred  song.  --Milton. 
 
  3.  Designated  or  exalted  by  a  divine  sanction;  possessing  the 
  highest  title  to  obedience,  honor,  reverence,  or 
  veneration;  entitled  to  extreme  reverence;  venerable. 
 
  Such  neighbor  nearness  to  our  sacred  [royal]  blood 
  Should  nothing  privilege  him  --Shak. 
 
  Poet  and  saint  to  thee  alone  were  given  The  two 
  most  sacred  names  of  earth  and  heaven.  --Cowley. 
 
  4.  Hence  not  to  be  profaned  or  violated;  inviolable. 
 
  Secrets  of  marriage  still  are  sacred  held.  --Dryden. 
 
  5.  Consecrated;  dedicated;  devoted;  --  with  to 
 
  A  temple,  sacred  to  the  queen  of  love.  --Dryden. 
 
  6.  Solemnly  devoted,  in  a  bad  sense  as  to  evil,  vengeance, 
  curse,  or  the  like  accursed;  baleful.  [Archaic] 
 
  But  to  destruction  sacred  and  devote.  --Milton. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  sacred 
  adj  1:  concerned  with  religion  or  religious  purposes;  "sacred 
  texts";  "sacred  rites";  "sacred  music"  [ant:  {profane}] 
  2:  worthy  of  respect  or  dedication;  "saw  motherhood  as  woman's 
  sacred  calling" 
  3:  made  or  declared  or  believed  to  be  holy;  devoted  to  a  deity 
  or  some  religious  ceremony  or  use  "a  consecrated  chursh"; 
  "the  sacred  mosque";  "sacred  elephants";  "sacred  bread  and 
  wine";  "sanctified  wine"  [syn:  {consecrated},  {sanctified}] 
  4:  worthy  of  religious  veneration;  "the  sacred  name  of  Jesus"; 
  "Jerusalem's  hallowed  soil"  [syn:  {hallowed}] 
  5:  (often  followed  by  `to')  devoted  exclusively  to  a  single  use 
  or  purpose  or  person;  "a  fund  sacred  to  charity";  "a 
  morning  hour  sacred  to  study";  "a  private  office  sacred  to 
  the  President" 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  sacred  adj  Reserved  for  the  exclusive  use  of  something  (an 
  extension  of  the  standard  meaning).  Often  means  that  anyone  may  look  at 
  the  sacred  object,  but  clobbering  it  will  screw  whatever  it  is  sacred  to 
  The  comment  "Register  7  is  sacred  to  the  interrupt  handler"  appearing  in 
  a  program  would  be  interpreted  by  a  hacker  to  mean  that  if  any  _other_ 
  part  of  the  program  changes  the  contents  of  register  7,  dire  consequences 
  are  likely  to  ensue. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  sacred 
 
  Reserved  for  the  exclusive  use  of  something  (an  extension  of 
  the  standard  meaning).  Often  means  that  anyone  may  look  at 
  the  sacred  object,  but  clobbering  it  will  screw  whatever  it  is 
  sacred  to  The  comment  "Register  7  is  sacred  to  the  interrupt 
  handler"  appearing  in  a  program  would  be  interpreted  by  a 
  hacker  to  mean  that  if  any  *other*  part  of  the  program  changes 
  the  contents  of  register  7,  dire  consequences  are  likely  to 
  ensue. 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  SACRED,  adj  Dedicated  to  some  religious  purpose;  having  a  divine 
  character;  inspiring  solemn  thoughts  or  emotions;  as  the  Dalai  Lama 
  of  Thibet;  the  Moogum  of  M'bwango;  the  temple  of  Apes  in  Ceylon;  the 
  Cow  in  India;  the  Crocodile,  the  Cat  and  the  Onion  of  ancient  Egypt; 
  the  Mufti  of  Moosh;  the  hair  of  the  dog  that  bit  Noah,  etc 
 
  All  things  are  either  sacred  or  profane. 
  The  former  to  ecclesiasts  bring  gain; 
  The  latter  to  the  devil  appertain. 
  Dumbo  Omohundro 
 
 

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