parish

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: par=ish

CIDE DICTIONARY

parish, n. [OE. parishe, paresche, parosche, OF. paroisse, parosse, paroiche, F. paroisse, L. parochia, corrupted fr. paroecia, Gr. paroiki`a, fr. pa`roikos dwelling beside or near; para` beside + o'i^kos a house, dwelling; akin to L. vicus village. See Vicinity, and cf. Parochial.].

•  That circuit of ground committed to the charge of one parson or vicar, or other minister having cure of souls therein.  [1913 Webster]

  " Populous and extensive parishes are now divided, under various parliamentary acts, into smaller ecclesiastical districts for spiritual purposes."  Mozley & W.  [1913 Webster]
•  An ecclesiastical society, usually not bounded by territorial limits, but composed of those persons who choose to unite under the charge of a particular priest, clergyman, or minister; also, loosely, the territory in which the members of a congregation live.  [1913 Webster]
•  In Louisiana, a civil division corresponding to a county in other States.  [1913 Webster]

parish, a. 

 Of or pertaining to a parish; parochial; as, a parish church; parish records; a parish priest; maintained by the parish; as, parish poor.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

Parish clerk. (a) The clerk or recording officer of a parish. (b) A layman who leads in the responses and otherwise assists in the service of the Church of England. -- Parish court, in Louisiana, a court in each parish.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

parish, n.
1 an area having its own church and clergy.
2 (in full civil parish) a district constituted for purposes of local government.
3 the inhabitants of a parish.
4 US a county in Louisiana.

Idiom

parish clerk an official performing various duties concerned with the church. parish council Brit. the administrative body in a civil parish. parish pump (often attrib.) a symbol of a parochial or restricted outlook. parish register a book recording christenings, marriages, and burials, at a parish church.

Etymology

ME paroche, parosse f. OF paroche, paroisse f. eccl.L parochia, paroechia f. Gk paroikia sojourning f. paroikos (as PARA-(1), -oikos -dwelling f. oikeo dwell)

THESAURUS

parish

Kreis, archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement, assembly, bailiwick, bishopric, borough, brethren, canton, churchgoers, city, class, commune, conference, congregation, congressional district, constablewick, county, departement, diocese, district, duchy, electoral district, electorate, flock, fold, government, hamlet, hundred, laity, laymen, magistracy, metropolis, metropolitan area, minyan, nonclerics, nonordained persons, oblast, okrug, parishioners, people, precinct, principality, province, region, riding, seculars, see, sheep, sheriffalty, sheriffwick, shire, shrievalty, society, soke, stake, state, synod, territory, town, township, village, wapentake, ward

ROGET THESAURUS

parish

Abode

N abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance, tabernacle, throne, ark, home, fatherland, country, homestead, homestall, fireside, hearth, hearth stone, chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side, harem, seraglio, zenana, household gods, lares et penates, roof, household, housing, dulce domum, paternal domicile, native soil, native land, habitat, range, stamping ground, haunt, hangout, biosphere, environment, ecological niche, nest, nidus, snuggery, arbor, bower, lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum, aerie, eyrie, eyry, rookery, hive, covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost, nidification, kala jagah, bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation, barrack, casemate, casern, tent, building, chamber, xenodochium, tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft, cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy, shanty, dugout, wigwam, pen, barn, bawn, kennel, sty, doghold, cote, coop, hutch, byre, cow house, cow shed, stable, dovecote, columbary, columbarium, shippen, igloo, iglu, jacal, lacustrine dwelling, lacuslake dwelling, lacuspile dwelling, log cabin, log house, shack, shebang, tepee, topek, house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe, folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace, kiosk, bungalow, casa, country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house, temple, hamlet, village, thorp, dorp, ham, kraal, borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis, suburb, province, country, county town, county seat, courthouse, ghetto, street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd, close, yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews, square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister, gardens, grove, residences, block of buildings, market place, place, plaza, anchorage, roadstead, roads, dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor, quarter, parish, assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place, inn, hostel, hostelry, hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow, khan, hospice, public house, pub, pot house, mug house, gin mill, gin palace, bar, bar room, barrel house, cabaret, chophouse, club, clubhouse, cookshop, dive, exchange, grill room, saloon, shebeen, coffee house, eating house, canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet, posada, almshouse, poorhouse, townhouse, garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance, demesne, cage, terrarium, doghouse, pen, aviary, barn, stall, zoo, urban, metropolitan, suburban, provincial, rural, rustic, domestic, cosmopolitan, palatial, eigner Hert ist goldes Werth, even cities have their graves, ubi libertas ibi patria, home sweet home.