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.
Society of the Sacred Heart (R.C. Ch.), a religious order of women,
founded in France in 1800, and approved in 1826. It was introduced into
America in 1817. The members of the order devote themselves to the
higher branches of female education. -- Sacred baboon. (Zoöl.) See
Hamadryas. -- Sacred bean (Bot.), a seed of the Oriental lotus (Nelumbo
speciosa or Nelumbium speciosum), a plant resembling a water lily;
also, the plant itself. See Lotus. -- Sacred beetle (Zoöl.) See Scarab.
-- Sacred canon. See Canon, n., 3. - - Sacred fish (Zoöl.), any one of
numerous species of fresh-water African fishes of the family Mormyridæ.
Several large species inhabit the Nile and were considered sacred by
the ancient Egyptians; especially Mormyrus oxyrhynchus. -- Sacred ibis.
See Ibis. -- Sacred monkey. (Zoöl.) (a) Any Asiatic monkey of the genus
Semnopithecus, regarded as sacred by the Hindoos; especially, the
entellus. See Entellus. (b) The sacred baboon. See Hamadryas. (c) The
bhunder, or rhesus monkey. -- Sacred place (Civil Law), the place where
a deceased person is buried.
Syn. -- Holy; divine; hallowed; consecrated; dedicated; devoted;
religious; venerable; reverend.
-- Sa"cred*ly (#), adv. -- Sa"cred*ness, n.
{ Sacrif"ic (?), Sa*crif"ic*al (?) }, a. [L. sacrificus, sacrificalis.
See Sacrifice.] Employed in sacrifice. [R.] Johnson.
Sa*crif"ic*a*ble (?), a. Capable of being offered in sacrifice. [R.]
Sir T. Browne.
Sa*crif"ic*ant (?), n. [L. sacrificans, p. pr. See Sacrifice.] One who
offers a sacrifice. [R.]
Sac"ri*fi*ca`tor (?), n. [L.] A sacrificer; one who offers a sacrifice.
[R.] Sir T. Browne.
Sa*crif"ic*a*to*ry (?), n. [Cf. F. sacrificatoire.] Offering sacrifice.
[R.] Sherwood.
Sac"ri*fice (?; 277), n. [OE. sacrifise, sacrifice, F. sacrifice, fr.
L. sacrificium; sacer sacred + facere to make. See Sacred, and Fact.]
1. The offering of anything to God, or to a god; consecratory rite.
Great pomp, and sacrifice, and praises loud, To Dagon.
Milton.
2. Anything consecrated and offered to God, or to a divinity; an
immolated victim, or an offering of any kind, laid upon an altar, or
otherwise presented in the way of religious thanksgiving, atonement, or
conciliation.
Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood Of human sacrifice.
Milton.
My life, if thou preserv'st my life, Thy sacrifice shall be.
Addison.
3. Destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else;
devotion of some desirable object in behalf of a higher object, or to a
claim deemed more pressing; hence, also, the thing so devoted or given
up; as, the sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of pleasure to
interest.
4. A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value.
[Tradesmen's Cant]
Burnt sacrifice. See Burnt offering, under Burnt. -- Sacrifice hit
(Baseball), in batting, a hit of such a kind that the batter loses his
chance of tallying, but enables one or more who are on bases to get
home or gain a base.
Sac"ri*fice (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sacrificed (&?;); p. pr. &
vb. n. Sacrificing (&?;).] [From Sacrifice, n.: cf. F. sacrifier, L.
sacrificare; sacer sacred, holy + -ficare (only in comp.) to make. See
-fy.] 1. To make an offering of; to consecrate or present to a divinity
by way of expiation or propitiation, or as a token acknowledgment or
thanksgiving; to immolate on the altar of God, in order to atone for
sin, to procure favor, or to express thankfulness; as, to sacrifice an
ox or a sheep.
Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid.
Milton.
2. Hence, to destroy, surrender, or suffer to be lost, for the sake of
obtaining something; to give up in favor of a higher or more imperative
object or duty; to devote, with loss or suffering.
Condemned to sacrifice his childish years To babbling ignorance,
and to empty fears.
Prior.
The Baronet had sacrificed a large sum . . . for the sake of . . .
making this boy his heir.
G. Eliot.