holy
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holy
sacred; hallowed: holy ground
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
ho·ly
(hō′lē)adj. ho·li·er, ho·li·est
1. Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred.
2. Regarded with veneration or specified for a religious purpose: a holy book; a holy place.
3. Living or undertaken with highly moral or spiritual purpose; saintly: a holy person; a holy way of life.
4. Regarded as deserving special respect or reverence: The pursuit of peace is our holiest quest.
5. Informal Used as an intensive: raised holy hell over the mischief their children did.
ho′li·ly adv.
ho′li·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
holy
(ˈhəʊlɪ)adj, holier or holiest
1. (Ecclesiastical Terms) of, relating to, or associated with God or a deity; sacred
2. (Ecclesiastical Terms) endowed or invested with extreme purity or sublimity
3. (Ecclesiastical Terms) devout, godly, or virtuous
4. holier-than-thou offensively sanctimonious or self-righteous: a holier-than-thou attitude.
5. holy terror
a. a difficult or frightening person
b. Irish informal a person who is an active gambler, womanizer, etc
n, pl -lies
(Ecclesiastical Terms)
a. a sacred place
b. the holy (functioning as plural) persons or things invested with holiness
[Old English hālig, hǣlig; related to Old Saxon hēlag, Gothic hailags, German heilig; see hallow]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ho•ly
(ˈhoʊ li)adj. -li•er, -li•est.
1. recognized as or declared sacred by religious use or authority; consecrated: holy ground.
2. dedicated or devoted to the service of God, the church, or religion.
3. saintly; pious; devout.
4. having a spiritually pure quality: a holy love.
5. venerated as or as if sacred: a holy relic.
6. inspiring fear, awe, or distress: He's a holy terror when he's angry.
[before 900; Middle English holi, Old English hālig, variant of hāleg=hāl whole + -eg -y1; c. Old Saxon hēlag, Old High German heilag, Old Norse heilagr]
ho′li•ly, adv.
syn: holy, sacred, hallowed refer to something that is the object of worship or veneration. holy refers to the divine, that which has its sanctity directly from God or is connected with Him: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Something that is sacred is usu. dedicated to a religious purpose by human authority: a sacred shrine. Something that is hallowed has been made holy by being worshiped or venerated: The church graveyard is hallowed ground.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | ![]() place, spot, topographic point - a point located with respect to surface features of some region; "this is a nice place for a picnic"; "a bright spot on a planet" |
Adj. | 1. | holy - belonging to or derived from or associated with a divine power consecrate, consecrated, dedicated - solemnly dedicated to or set apart for a high purpose; "a life consecrated to science"; "the consecrated chapel"; "a chapel dedicated to the dead of World War II" sacred - concerned with religion or religious purposes; "sacred texts"; "sacred rites"; "sacred music" unhallowed, unholy - not hallowed or consecrated |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
holy
adjective
1. sacred, blessed, hallowed, dedicated, venerable, consecrated, venerated, sacrosanct, sanctified To them, as to all Tibetans, this is a holy place.
sacred unholy, desecrated, unconsecrated, unhallowed, unsanctified
sacred unholy, desecrated, unconsecrated, unhallowed, unsanctified
2. devout, godly, religious, pure, divine, faithful, righteous, pious, virtuous, hallowed, saintly, god-fearing The Indians think of him as a holy man.
devout worldly, earthly, evil, corrupt, secular, immoral, wicked, sinful, unholy, blasphemous, sacrilegious, irreligious, impious
devout worldly, earthly, evil, corrupt, secular, immoral, wicked, sinful, unholy, blasphemous, sacrilegious, irreligious, impious
Quotations
"Is that which is holy loved by the gods because it is holy, or is it holy because it is loved by the gods?" [Plato Euthyphro]
"Is that which is holy loved by the gods because it is holy, or is it holy because it is loved by the gods?" [Plato Euthyphro]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
holy
adjective3. Regarded with particular reverence or respect:
4. Deeply concerned with God and the beliefs and practice of religion:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
holy
[ˈhəʊlɪ] (holier (compar) (holiest (superl)))A. ADJ [place, book] → sagrado, santo; [church, shrine] → sagrado; [person] → santo; [day] → de precepto
the holiest day in the Jewish calendar → el principal día de precepto or la principal fiesta de guardar del calendario judío
holy cow or mackerel or smoke! → ¡(por) Dios bendito!
holy shit! → ¡mierda!
to be a holy terror [child] → ser (más malo que) un demonio
the holiest day in the Jewish calendar → el principal día de precepto or la principal fiesta de guardar del calendario judío
holy cow or mackerel or smoke! → ¡(por) Dios bendito!
holy shit! → ¡mierda!
to be a holy terror [child] → ser (más malo que) un demonio
B. CPD the Holy Bible N → la Santa Biblia
the Holy City N → la Ciudad Santa
Holy Communion N → Sagrada Comunión f
the Holy Father N → el Santo Padre
the Holy Ghost N → el Espíritu Santo
the Holy Grail N → el Santo Grial
the Holy Land N → la Tierra Santa
holy man N → santón m
holy matrimony N → santo matrimonio m
holy oil N → santos óleos mpl
holy orders NPL → órdenes fpl sagradas
to be in holy orders → ser sacerdote
to take holy orders → ordenarse sacerdote
the Holy Roman Empire N → el Sacro Imperio Romano Germánico
Holy Saturday N → Sábado m Santo
the Holy See N → la Santa Sede
the Holy Sepulchre N → el Santo Sepulcro
the Holy Spirit N → el Espíritu Santo
the Holy Trinity N → la Santísima Trinidad
holy war N → guerra f santa
holy water N → agua f bendita
Holy Week N → Semana f Santa
Holy Writ (o.f.) N → Sagradas Escrituras fpl
see also Scripture
the Holy City N → la Ciudad Santa
Holy Communion N → Sagrada Comunión f
the Holy Father N → el Santo Padre
the Holy Ghost N → el Espíritu Santo
the Holy Grail N → el Santo Grial
the Holy Land N → la Tierra Santa
holy man N → santón m
holy matrimony N → santo matrimonio m
holy oil N → santos óleos mpl
holy orders NPL → órdenes fpl sagradas
to be in holy orders → ser sacerdote
to take holy orders → ordenarse sacerdote
the Holy Roman Empire N → el Sacro Imperio Romano Germánico
Holy Saturday N → Sábado m Santo
the Holy See N → la Santa Sede
the Holy Sepulchre N → el Santo Sepulcro
the Holy Spirit N → el Espíritu Santo
the Holy Trinity N → la Santísima Trinidad
holy war N → guerra f santa
holy water N → agua f bendita
Holy Week N → Semana f Santa
Holy Writ (o.f.) N → Sagradas Escrituras fpl
see also Scripture
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
holy
(ˈhəuli) adjective1. (worthy of worship or respect because) associated with God, Jesus, a saint etc; sacred. the Holy Bible; holy ground.sagrado
2. good; pure; following the rules of religion. a holy life.santo
ˈholiness noun1. the state of being holy. santidad
2. (with capital. with His, ~Your etc) a title of the Pope. Su Santidad
the Holy Father the Pope. el Santo Padre
Holy ˈThursday noun1. Ascension Day. Día de la Ascensión
2. Maundy Thursday. Jueves Santo
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
holy
→ santoMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009