Reverence

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: rev=er=ence

CIDE DICTIONARY

Reverence, n. [F. révérence, L. reverentia. See Reverent.].

•  Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration.  [1913 Webster]

  " Formerly, as in Chaucer, reverence denoted “respect” “honor”, without awe or fear."  [1913 Webster]

  "If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence."  [1913 Webster]

  "Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear."  [1913 Webster]

  "When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government islost."  [1913 Webster]
•  The act of revering; a token of respect or veneration; an obeisance.  [1913 Webster]

  "Make twenty reverences upon receiving . . . about twopence."  [1913 Webster]

  "And each of them doeth all his diligence
  To do unto the feast reverence."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.  [1913 Webster]

  "I am forced to lay my reverence by."  [1913 Webster]
•  A person entitled to be revered; -- a title applied to priests or other ministers with the pronouns his or your; sometimes poetically to a father.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "Such a one as a man may not speak of, without he say. “Sir reverence.”"  [1913 Webster]

  "Now lies he there,
  And none so poor to do him reverence."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Awe; honor; veneration; adoration; dread.

Reverence, v. t. 

 To regard or treat with reverence; to regard with respect and affection mingled with fear; to venerate.  [1913 Webster]
"Let . . . the wife see that she reverence her husband."  [1913 Webster]
"Those that I reverence those I fear, the wise."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Reverence, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the act of revering or the state of being revered (hold in reverence; feel reverence for). b the capacity for revering (lacks reverence).
2 archaic a gesture showing that one reveres; a bow or curtsy.
3 (Reverence) a title used of or to some members of the clergy.
--v.tr. regard or treat with reverence.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L reverentia (as REVERE)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Reverence

n. The spiritual attitude of a man to a god and a dog to a man.

THESAURUS

Reverence

accord respect to, admiration, admire, adoration, adore, adulation, apotheosis, apotheosize, appreciate, appreciation, approbation, approval, awe, beatification, bend, bending the knee, bob, bow, bowing and scraping, breathless adoration, churchgoing, co-worship, conformity, consideration, courtesy, crouch, cult, cultism, cultus, curtsy, defer to, deference, deification, deify, devotedness, devotion, devoutness, dipping the colors, do homage to, do service, duck, dulia, dutifulness, duty, entertain respect for, esteem, estimation, exaggerated respect, exalt, faith, faithfulness, favor, fealty, fear, genuflection, glorification, great respect, hero worship, hero-worship, high regard, hold in esteem, hold in reverence, homage, honor, hyperdulia, idolatry, idolization, idolize, inclination, kneeling, kowtow, latria, look up to, love of God, loyalty, making a leg, nod, obeisance, obsequiousness, observance, pay homage to, pietism, piety, piousness, presenting arms, prestige, prize, prostration, regard, religion, religionism, religiousness, respect, revere, reverential regard, salaam, salutation, salute, sanctification, scrape, servility, squat, standing at attention, stoop, submission, submissiveness, supination, theism, think highly of, think much of, think well of, transcendent wonder, value, venerate, veneration, worship, worshipfulness, worshiping

ROGET THESAURUS

Reverence

Piety

N piety, religion, theism, faith, religiousness, holiness, saintship, religionism, sanctimony, reverence, humility, veneration, devotion, prostration, grace, unction, edification, sanctity, sanctitude, consecration, spiritual existence, odor of sanctity, beauty of holiness, theopathy, beatification, adoption, regeneration, conversion, justification, sanctification, salvation, inspiration, bread of life, Body and Blood of Christ, believer, convert, theist, Christian, devotee, pietist, the good, the righteous, the just, the believing, the elect, Saint, Madonna, Notre Dame, Our Lady, the children of God, the children of the Kingdom, the children of the light, pious, religious, devout, devoted, reverent, godly, heavenly- minded, humble, pure, holy, spiritual, pietistic, saintly, saint-like, seraphic, sacred, solemn, believing, faithful, Christian, Catholic, elected, adopted, justified, sanctified, regenerated, inspired, consecrated, converted, unearthly, not of the earth, ne vile fano, pure-eyed Faith, thou hovering angel girt with golden wings.

Clergy

N clergy, clericals, ministry, priesthood, presbytery, the cloth, the desk, clergyman, divine, ecclesiastic, churchman, priest, presbyter, hierophant, pastor, shepherd, minister, father, father in Christ, padre, abbe, cure, patriarch, reverend, black coat, confessor, dignitaries of the church, ecclesiarch, hierarch, ebdomarius, eminence, reverence, elder, primate, metropolitan, archbishop, bishop, prelate, diocesan, suffragan, dean, subdean, archdeacon, prebendary, canon, rural dean, rector, parson, vicar, perpetual curate, residentiary, beneficiary, incumbent, chaplain, curate, deacon, deaconess, preacher, reader, lecturer, capitular, missionary, propagandist, Jesuit, revivalist, field preacher, churchwarden, sidesman, clerk, precentor, choir, almoner, suisse, verger, beadle, sexton, sacristan, acolyth, acolothyst, acolyte, altar boy, chorister, Pope, Papa, pontiff, high priest, cardinal, ancient flamen, flamen, confessor, penitentiary, spiritual director, cenobite, conventual, abbot, prior, monk, friar, lay brother, beadsman, mendicant, pilgrim, palmer, canon regular, canon secular, Franciscan, Friars minor, Minorites, Observant, Capuchin, Dominican, Carmelite, Augustinian, Gilbertine, Austin Friars, Black Friars, White Friars, Gray Friars, Crossed Friars, Crutched Friars, Bonhomme, Carthusian, Benedictine, Cistercian, Trappist, Cluniac, Premonstatensian, Maturine, Templar, Hospitaler, Bernardine, Lorettine, pillarist, stylite, abbess, prioress, canoness, religieuse, nun, novice, postulant, prophet, priest, high priest, Levite, Rabbi, Rabbin, Rebbe, scribe, mullah, muezzin, ayatollah, ulema, imaum, imam, sheik, sufi, kahin, kassis, mufti, hadji, dervish, fakir, faquir, brahmin, guru, kaziaskier, poonghie, sanyasi, druid, bonze, santon, abdal, Lama, talapoin, caloyer, the Reverend, the very Reverend, the Right Reverend, ordained, in orders, called to the ministry.

Title

N title, honor, knighthood, highness, excellency, grace, lordship, worship, reverence, reverend, esquire, sir, master, Mr, signor, senor, Mein Herr, mynheer, your honor, his honor, serene highness, handle to one's name, decoration, laurel, palm, wreath, garland, bays, medal, ribbon, riband, blue ribbon, cordon, cross, crown, coronet, star, garter, feather, feather in one's cap, epaulet, epaulette, colors, cockade, livery, order, arms, shield, scutcheon, reward.

Respect

N respect, regard, consideration, courtesy, attention, deference, reverence, honor, esteem, estimation, veneration, admiration, approbation, homage, fealty, obeisance, genuflection, kneeling prostration, obsequiousness, salaam, kowtow, bow, presenting arms, salute, respects, regards, duty, devoirs, egards, devotion, respecting, respectful, deferential, decorous, reverential, obsequious, ceremonious, bareheaded, cap in hand, on one's knees, prostrate, respected, in high esteem, in high estimation, time-honored, venerable, emeritus, in deference to, with all respect, with all due respect, with due respect, with the highest respect, with submission, saving your grace, saving your presence, salva sit reverentia, pace tanti nominis, Int, hail!, all hail!, esto perpetua!, may your shadow never be less!, and pluck up drowned honor by the locks, his honor rooted in dishonor stood, honor pricks me on.

VB respect, regard, revere, reverence, hold in reverence, honor, venerate, hallow, esteem, think much of, entertain respect for, bear respect for, look up to, defer to, have a high opinion of, hold a high opinion of, pay attention, pay respect, to, do honor to, render honor to, do the honors, hail, show courtesy, salute, present arms, do homage to, pay homage to, pay tribute to, kneel to, bow to, bend the knee to, fall down before, prostrate oneself, kiss the hem of one's garment, worship, keep one's distance, make room, observe due decorum, stand upon ceremony, command respect, inspire respect, awe, inspire awe, impose, overawe, dazzle.