sacrament

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: sac=ra=ment

CIDE DICTIONARY

sacrament, n. [L. sacramentum an oath, a sacred thing, a mystery, a sacrament, fr. sacrare to declare as sacred, sacer sacred: cf. F. sacrement. See Sacred.].

•  The oath of allegiance taken by Roman soldiers; hence, a sacred ceremony used to impress an obligation; a solemn oath-taking; an oath.  [1913 Webster]

  "I'll take the sacrament on't."  [1913 Webster]
•  The pledge or token of an oath or solemn covenant; a sacred thing; a mystery.  [1913 Webster]

  "God sometimes sent a light of fire, and pillar of a cloud . . . and the sacrament of a rainbow, to guide his people through their portion of sorrows."  [1913 Webster]
•  One of the solemn religious ordinances enjoined by Christ, the head of the Christian church, to be observed by his followers; hence, specifically, the eucharist; the Lord's Supper.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Sacrament, Eucharist.

sacrament, v. t. 

 To bind by an oath.  Laud.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

sacrament, n.
1 a religious ceremony or act of the Christian Churches regarded as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace: applied by the Eastern, pre-Reformation Western, and Roman Catholic Churches to the seven rites of baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, ordination, and matrimony, but restricted by most Protestants to baptism and the Eucharist.
2 a thing of mysterious and sacred significance; a sacred influence, symbol, etc.
3 (also Blessed or Holy Sacrament) (prec. by the) a the Eucharist. b the consecrated elements, esp. the bread or Host.
4 an oath or solemn engagement taken.

Etymology

ME f. OF sacrement f. L sacramentum solemn oath etc. f. sacrare hallow f. sacer SACRED, used in Christian L as transl. of Gk musterion MYSTERY(1)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

sacrament

n. A solemn religious ceremony to which several degrees of authority and significance are attached. Rome has seven sacraments, but the Protestant churches, being less prosperous, feel that they can afford only two, and these of inferior sanctity. Some of the smaller sects have no sacraments at all -- for which mean economy they will indubitable be damned.

ROGET THESAURUS

sacrament

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.