Holy war

Holy war
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 war — may refer to:* a Religious war justified by religious differences.:* The Cherem referred to in the Tanakh.:* Crusades:* French Wars of Religion:* Jihad, a duty for Muslims which has different meanings.:* Reconquista:* Seisen , the name given by… …   Wikipedia

  • Holy war — War War, n. [OE. & AS. werre; akin to OHG. werra scandal, quarrel, sedition, werran to confound, mix, D. warren, G. wirren, verwirren, to embroil, confound, disturb, and perhaps to E. worse; cf. OF. werre war, F. querre, of Teutonic origin. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Holy War — Album par Dragonland Sortie 8 fevrier 2002 Enregistrement au Studio Fredman, en Suède Durée 56:11 Genre Power metal Metal Symphonique Power metal symphonique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • holy war — holy .war n a war that is fought to defend the beliefs of a religion →↑crusade, jihad ↑jihad …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • holy war — holy ,war noun count a war that people with a particular religion believe that God wants them to fight …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • holy war — ► NOUN ▪ a war waged in support of a religious cause …   English terms dictionary

  • holy war — n. 1. a war fought on behalf of a religion or for a religious cause 2. any zealous or fanatical campaign …   English World dictionary

  • holy war — 1. a war waged for what is supposed or proclaimed to be a holy purpose, as the defense of faith. 2. any disagreement or argument between fanatical proponents of radically differing beliefs, opinions, etc.: a holy war on the merits of rival… …   Universalium

  • Holy War — Este artículo está huérfano, pues pocos o ningún artículo enlazan aquí. Por favor, introduce enlaces hacia esta página desde otros artículos relacionados. Ho …   Wikipedia Español

  • holy war — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms holy war : singular holy war plural holy wars a war that people with a particular religion believe that God wants them to fight …   English dictionary

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