Gos"pel (?), n. [OE. gospel, godspel, AS. godspell; god God + spell
story, tale. See God, and Spell, v.]
1. Glad tidings; especially, the good news concerning Christ, the
Kingdom of God, and salvation.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
Matt. iv. 23.
The steadfast belief of the promises of the gospel.
Bentley.
It is probable that gospel is from. OE. godspel, God story, the
narrative concerning God; but it was early confused with god spell,
good story, good tidings, and was so used by the translators of the
Authorized version of Scripture. This use has been retained in most
cases in the Revised Version.
Thus the literal sense [of gospel] is the "narrative of God," i.
e., the life of Christ.
Skeat.
2. One of the four narratives of the life and death of Jesus Christ,
written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
3. A selection from one of the gospels, for use in a religious service;
as, the gospel for the day.
4. Any system of religious doctrine; sometimes, any system of political
doctrine or social philosophy; as, this political gospel. Burke.
5. Anything propounded or accepted as infallibly true; as, they took
his words for gospel. [Colloq.]
If any one thinks this expression hyperbolical, I shall only ask
him to read ådipus, instead of taking the traditional witticisms
about Lee for gospel.
Saintsbury.
Gos"pel, a. Accordant with, or relating to, the gospel; evangelical;
as, gospel righteousness. Bp. Warburton.
Gos"pel, v. t. To instruct in the gospel. [Obs.] Shak.
Gos"pel*er (?), n. [AS. godspellere.] [Written also gospeller.] 1. One
of the four evangelists. Rom. of R.
Mark the gospeler was the ghostly son of Peter in baptism.
Wyclif.
2. A follower of Wyclif, the first English religious reformer; hence, a
Puritan. [Obs.] Latimer.
The persecution was carried on against the gospelers with much
fierceness by those of the Roman persuasion.
Strype.
3. A priest or deacon who reads the gospel at the altar during the
communion service.
The Archbishop of York was the celebrant, the epistoler being the
dean, and the gospeler the Bishop of Sydney.
Pall Mall Gazette.
Gos"pel*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gospelized (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Gospelizing (?).] [Written also gospellize.]
1. To form according to the gospel; as, a command gospelized to us.
Milton.
2. To instruct in the gospel; to evangelize; as, to gospelize the
savages. Boyle.
Goss (?), n. [See Gorse.] Gorse. [Obs.] Shak.
Gos"sa*mer (?), n. [OE. gossomer, gossummer, gosesomer, perh. for goose
summer, from its downy appearance, or perh. for God's summer, cf. G.
mariengarr gossamer, properly Mary's yarn, in allusion to the Virgin
Mary. Perhaps the E. word alluded to a legend that the gossamer was the
remnant of the Virgin Mary's winding sheet, which dropped from her when
she was taken up to heaven. For the use of summer in the sense of film
or threads, cf. G. M‰dchensommer, Altweibersommer, fliegender Sommer,
all meaning, gossamer.]
1. A fine, filmy substance, like cobwebs, floating in the air, in calm,
clear weather, especially in autumn. It is seen in stubble fields and
on furze or low bushes, and is formed by small spiders.