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shibbolethmore about shibboleth

shibboleth

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Shibboleth  \Shib"bo*leth\,  n.  [Heb.  shibb[=o]leth  an  ear  of 
  corn,  or  a  stream,  a  flood.] 
  1.  A  word  which  was  made  the  criterion  by  which  to 
  distinguish  the  Ephraimites  from  the  Gileadites  The 
  Ephraimites  not  being  able  to  pronounce  sh  called  the 
  word  sibboleth.  See  --Judges  xii. 
 
  Without  reprieve,  adjudged  to  death,  For  want  of 
  well  pronouncing  shibboleth.  --Milton. 
  Also  in  an  extended  sense 
 
  The  th  with  its  twofold  value,  is  .  .  .  the 
  shibboleth  of  foreigners.  --Earle. 
 
  2.  Hence  the  criterion,  test,  or  watchword  of  a  party;  a 
  party  cry  or  pet  phrase. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  shibboleth 
  n  1:  a  favorite  saying  of  a  sect  or  political  group  [syn:  {motto}, 
  {slogan},  {catchword}] 
  2:  a  manner  of  speaking  that  is  distinctive  of  a  particular 
  group  of  people 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Shibboleth 
  river,  or  an  ear  of  corn.  The  tribes  living  on  the  east  of 
  Jordan,  separated  from  their  brethren  on  the  west  by  the  deep 
  ravines  and  the  rapid  river,  gradually  came  to  adopt  peculiar 
  customs,  and  from  mixing  largely  with  the  Moabites,  Ishmaelites, 
  and  Ammonites  to  pronounce  certain  letters  in  such  a  manner  as 
  to  distinguish  them  from  the  other  tribes.  Thus  when  the 
  Ephraimites  from  the  west  invaded  Gilead,  and  were  defeated  by 
  the  Gileadites  under  the  leadership  of  Jephthah,  and  tried  to 
  escape  by  the  "passages  of  the  Jordan,"  the  Gileadites  seized 
  the  fords  and  would  allow  none  to  pass  who  could  not  pronounce 
  shibboleth"  with  a  strong  aspirate.  This  the  fugitives  were 
  unable  to  do  They  said  "sibboleth,"  as  the  word  was  pronounced 
  by  the  tribes  on  the  west,  and  thus  they  were  detected  (Judg. 
  12:1-6).  Forty-two  thousand  were  thus  detected,  and 
 
  "Without  reprieve,  adjudged  to  death, 
 
  For  want  of  well-pronouncing  shibboleth." 
 
 
  From  Hitchcock's  Bible  Names  Dictionary  (late  1800's)  [hitchcock]: 
 
  Shibboleth,  Sibboleth,  ear  of  corn;  stream  or  flood




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