sacrifice
sacrifice: n. & v. --n.
1 a the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else more important or worthy. b a thing given up in this way. c the loss entailed in this.
2 a the slaughter of an animal or person or the surrender of a possession as an offering to a deity. b an animal, person, or thing offered in this way.
3 an act of prayer, thanksgiving, or penitence as propitiation.
4 Theol. a Christ's offering of himself in the Crucifixion. b the Eucharist as either a propitiatory offering of the body and blood of Christ or an act of thanksgiving.
5 (in games) a loss incurred deliberately to avoid a greater loss or to obtain a compensating advantage. --v.
1 tr. give up (a thing) as a sacrifice.
2 tr. (foll. by to) devote or give over to.
3 tr. (also absol.) offer or kill as a sacrifice. sacrificial adj. sacrificially adv. [ME f. OF f. L sacrificium f. sacrificus (as SACRED)]
Most popular pairs with sacrifice
living sacrifice
human sacrifice
my sacrifice
animal sacrifice
aztec sacrifices
human sacrifices
aztec sacrifice
dragon sacrifice
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