sacrifice

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: forfeitforfeitureritual killinggive

WordNet 3.0

Noun (5)

  1. the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.Synonyms: forfeitforfeiture
  2. personnel that are sacrificed (e.g., surrendered or lost in order to gain an objective)
  3. a loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value“he had to sell his car at a considerable sacrifice”
  4. the act of killing (an animal or person) in order to propitiate a deitySynonyms: ritual killing
  5. (baseball) an out that advances the base runners

Verb (4)

  1. endure the loss of“He gave his life for his children”“I gave two sons to the war”Synonyms: give
  2. kill or destroy“The animals were sacrificed after the experiment”“The general had to sacrifice several soldiers to save the regiment”
  3. sell at a loss
  4. make a sacrifice of; in religious rituals
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Sacrifice \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. [1913 Webster]

Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Condemned to sacrifice his childish years To babbling ignorance, and to empty fears.— Prior.[1913 Webster]
The Baronet had sacrificed a large sum . . . for the sake of . . . making this boy his heir.— G. Eliot.[1913 Webster]

3.To destroy; to kill. --Johnson. [1913 Webster]

4.To sell at a price less than the cost or the actual value. [Tradesmen's Cant] [1913 Webster]

Sacrifice \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. [1913 Webster]

Great pomp, and sacrifice, and praises loud, To Dagon.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood Of human sacrifice.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
My life, if thou preserv'st my life, Thy sacrifice shall be.— Addison.[1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

4.A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value. [Tradesmen's Cant] [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Sacrifice \Sac"ri*fice\, v. i. To make offerings to God, or to a deity, of things consumed on the altar; to offer sacrifice. [1913 Webster]

O teacher, some great mischief hath befallen To that meek man, who well had sacrificed. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

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