Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday
Holy Ho"ly, a. [Compar. {Holier}; superl. {Holiest}.] [OE. holi, hali, AS. h[=a]lig, fr. h[ae]l health, salvation, happiness, fr. h[=a]l whole, well; akin to OS. h?lag, D. & G. heilig, OHG. heilac, Dan. hellig, Sw. helig, Icel. heilagr. See {Whole}, and cf. {Halibut}, {Halidom}, {Hallow}, {Hollyhock}.] 1. Set apart to the service or worship of God; hallowed; sacred; reserved from profane or common use; holy vessels; a holy priesthood. ``Holy rites and solemn feasts.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. Spiritually whole or sound; of unimpaired innocence and virtue; free from sinful affections; pure in heart; godly; pious; irreproachable; guiltless; acceptable to God. [1913 Webster]

Now through her round of holy thought The Church our annual steps has brought. --Keble. [1913 Webster]

{Holy Alliance} (Hist.), a league ostensibly for conserving religion, justice, and peace in Europe, but really for repressing popular tendencies toward constitutional government, entered into by Alexander I. of Russia, Francis I. of Austria, and Frederic William III. of Prussia, at Paris, on the 26th of September, 1815, and subsequently joined by all the sovereigns of Europe, except the pope and the king of England.

{Holy bark}. See {Cascara sagrada}.

{Holy Communion}. See {Eucharist}.

{Holy family} (Art), a picture in which the infant Christ, his parents, and others of his family are represented.

{Holy Father}, a title of the pope.

{Holy Ghost} (Theol.), the third person of the Trinity; the Comforter; the Paraclete.

{Holy Grail}. See {Grail}.

{Holy grass} (Bot.), a sweet-scented grass ({Hierochloa borealis} and {Hierochloa alpina}). In the north of Europe it was formerly strewed before church doors on saints' days; whence the name. It is common in the northern and western parts of the United States. Called also {vanilla grass} or {Seneca grass}.

{Holy Innocents' day}, Childermas day.

{Holy Land}, Palestine, the birthplace of Christianity.

{Holy office}, the Inquisition.

{Holy of holies} (Script.), the innermost apartment of the Jewish tabernacle or temple, where the ark was kept, and where no person entered, except the high priest once a year.

{Holy One}. (a) The Supreme Being; -- so called by way of emphasis. `` The Holy One of Israel.'' --Is. xliii. 14. (b) One separated to the service of God.

{Holy orders}. See {Order}.

{Holy rood}, the cross or crucifix, particularly one placed, in churches. over the entrance to the chancel.

{Holy rope}, a plant, the hemp agrimony.

{Holy Saturday} (Eccl.), the Saturday immediately preceding the festival of Easter; the vigil of Easter.

{Holy Spirit}, same as {Holy Ghost} (above).

{Holy Spirit plant}. See {Dove plant}.

{Holy thistle} (Bot.), the blessed thistle. See under {Thistle}.

{Holy Thursday}. (Eccl.) (a) (Episcopal Ch.) Ascension day. (b) (R. C. Ch.) The Thursday in Holy Week; Maundy Thursday.

{Holy war}, a crusade; an expedition carried on by Christians against the Saracens in the Holy Land, in the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries, for the possession of the holy places.

{Holy water} (Gr. & R. C. Churches), water which has been blessed by the priest for sacred purposes.

{Holy-water stoup}, the stone stoup or font placed near the entrance of a church, as a receptacle for holy water.

{Holy Week} (Eccl.), the week before Easter, in which the passion of our Savior is commemorated.

{Holy writ}, the sacred Scriptures. `` Word of holy writ.'' --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Holy Thursday — Thursday Thurs day, n. [OE. [thorn]ursdei, [thorn]orsday, from the Scand. name Thor + E. day. Icel. [thorn][=o]rr Thor, the god of thunder, is akin to AS. [thorn]unor thunder; D. Donderdag Thursday, G. Donnerstag, Icel. [thorn][=o]rsdagr, Sw. &… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Holy Thursday — • The feast of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday solemnly commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and is the oldest of the observances peculiar to Holy Week Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Holy Thursday — n. 1. the Thursday before Easter 2. Now Rare ASCENSION DAY …   English World dictionary

  • Holy Thursday — Ascension As*cen sion, n. [F. ascension, L. ascensio, fr. ascendere. See {Ascend}.] 1. The act of ascending; a rising; ascent. [1913 Webster] 2. Specifically: The visible ascent of our Savior on the fortieth day after his resurrection. ( Acts i.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Holy Thursday (Songs of Experience) — Holy Thursday is a poem by William Blake, first published in Songs of Experience in 1794. This poem, unlike its contemporary in Songs of Innocence , focuses more on society as a whole than the Holy Thursday ceremony.AnalysisThe primary objective… …   Wikipedia

  • Holy Thursday (Songs of Innocence) — Holy Thursday is a poem by William Blake, from his book of poems Songs of Innocence. (There is also a Holy Thursday poem in Songs of Experience, which contrasts this song.)The poem depicts a religious event carried on on a Holy Thursday, in which …   Wikipedia

  • Holy Thursday — 1. See Ascension Day. 2. the Thursday in Holy Week; Maundy Thursday. [1150 1200; ME; OE] * * * …   Universalium

  • Holy Thursday —    A name commonly given to Ascension Day (which see); not to be confounded with Thursday in Holy Week, which is more properly known as Maundy Thursday …   American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  • Holy Thursday — /hoʊli ˈθɜzdeɪ/ (say hohlee therzday) noun 1. Rare Ascension Day. 2. Roman Catholic Church Thursday in Holy Week; Maundy Thursday …  

  • Holy Thursday — noun the Thursday before Easter; commemorates the Last Supper • Syn: ↑Maundy Thursday • Hypernyms: ↑Christian holy day …   Useful english dictionary

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