idolize

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: i=dol=ize

CIDE DICTIONARY

idolize, v. t. 

•  To make an idol of; to pay idolatrous worship to; as, to idolize the sacred bull in Egypt.  [1913 Webster]
•  To love to excess; to love or reverence to adoration; as, to idolize gold, children, a hero.  [1913 Webster]

idolize, v. i. 

 To practice idolatry.  [1913 Webster]
"To idolize after the manner of Egypt."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

idolize, v. (also -ise)
1 tr. venerate or love extremely or excessively.
2 tr. make an idol of.
3 intr. practise idolatry.

Derivative

idolization n. idolizer n.

THESAURUS

idolize

accord respect to, admire, adore, adulate, apotheosize, appreciate, belaud, bepraise, bless, blow up, boast of, brag about, celebrate, cherish, cry up, dearly love, defer to, deify, do homage to, do service, dote, emblazon, entertain respect for, esteem, eulogize, exalt, extol, favor, fetish, fetishize, flatter, glorify, hero-worship, hold dear, hold in esteem, hold in reverence, honor, idol, idolatrize, idolify, laud, lionize, look up to, love to distraction, magnify, make much of, overcommend, overesteem, overestimate, overlaud, overpraise, overprize, panegyrize, pay homage to, pay tribute, porter aux nues, praise, prize, puff, puff up, regard, respect, revere, reverence, salute, think highly of, think much of, think well of, treasure, trumpet, value, venerate, worship

ROGET THESAURUS

idolize

Impiety

VB be impious, profane, desecrate, blaspheme, revile, scoff, swear, commit sacrilege, snuffle, turn up the whites of the eyes, idolize.

Love

VB love, like, affect, fancy, care for, take an interest in, be partial to, sympathize with, affection, be in love with, have a love, for, entertain a love, for, harbor cherish a love, for, regard, revere, take to, bear love to, be wedded to, set one's affections on, make much of, feast one's eyes on, hold dear, prize, hug, cling to, cherish, pet, burn, adore, idolize, love to distraction, aimer eperdument, dote on, dote upon, take a fancy to, look sweet upon, become enamored, fall in love with, lose one's heart, desire, excite love, win the heart, gain the heart, win the affections, gain the affections, secure the love, engage the affections, take the fancy of have a place in the heart, wind round the heart, attract, attach, endear, charm, fascinate, captivate, bewitch, seduce, enamor, enrapture, turn the head, get into favor, ingratiate oneself, insinuate oneself, worm oneself, propitiate, curry favor with, pay one's court to, faire l'aimable, set one's cap at, flirt.