Sacra, sā′kra, n. a sacral artery:—pl. Sā′cræ (-krē).
Sacral, sā′kral, adj. See Sacrum.
Sacrament, sak′ra-ment, n. an holy ordinance instituted by Christ as an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace (Baptism and the Lord's Supper—amongst Roman Catholics, also Confirmation, Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction): the Lord's Supper specially: an oath of obedience taken by Roman soldiers on enlistment: any solemn obligation: materials used in a sacrament.—v.t. to bind by an oath.—adj. Sacramen′tal, belonging to or constituting a sacrament.—ns. Sacramen′talism, the attachment of excessive importance to the sacraments: the doctrine that there is in the sacraments themselves a special direct spiritual efficacy to confer grace; Sacramen′talist, one who holds this view.—adv. Sacramen′tally.—ns. Sacramentā′rian, one who holds a high or extreme view of the efficacy of the sacraments: (obs.) one who rejects the doctrine of the real presence in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper; Sacramentā′rianism, the holding of extreme views with regard to the efficacy of sacraments.—adj. Sacramen′tary, pertaining to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or to the sacramentarians.—n. a book containing all the prayers and ceremonies used at the celebration of the R.C. sacraments: a sacramentarian. [L. sacramentum, a sacred thing—sacrāre, to consecrate—sacer, sacred.]
Sacrarium, sā-krā′ri-um, n. the part of a church where the altar is, the sanctuary: in ancient Rome, any sacred place, the place where the Penates were stored.—n. Sac′rary (obs.), a holy place.—v.t. Sā′crate (obs.), to consecrate.
Sacrarium, sā-krā′ri-um, n. the complex sacrum of any bird.
Sacre. Same as Saker.
Sacred, sā′kred, adj. set apart or dedicated, esp. to God: made holy: proceeding from God: religious: entitled to respect or veneration: inviolable: devoted to destruction: opposed to secular, as sacred music or history: not liable to punishment.—adv. Sā′credly.—n. Sā′credness.—Sacred ape, the hanuman of India; Sacred beetle, an Egyptian scarab; Sacred cat, the house cat of Egypt, sacred to Pasht; Sacred fish, one of the fresh-water fishes of the Nile; Sacred Heart (R.C.), the physical heart of Christ, adored with special devotion since the 18th century. [O. Fr. sacrer—L. sacrāre—L. sacer, sacred.]
Sacrificati, sak-ri-fi-kā′tī, n.pl. in the early church, those who sacrificed to idols in persecution, but returned as penitents afterwards.
Sacrifice, sak′ri-fīs, v.t. to offer up, esp. on the altar of a divinity: to destroy or give up for something else: to devote or destroy with loss or suffering: to kill.—v.i. to make offerings to God.—n. the fundamental institution of all natural religions, primarily a sacramental meal at which the communicants are a deity and his worshippers, and the elements the flesh and blood of a sacred victim: the act of sacrificing or offering to a deity, esp. a victim on an altar: that which is sacrificed or offered: destruction or loss of anything to gain some object: that which is given up, destroyed, or lost for some end: mere loss of profit.—n. Sacrif′icant, one who offers a sacrifice.—adj. Sacrif′icātory, offering sacrifice.—n. Sac′rificer, a priest.—adj. Sacrifi′cial, relating to, or consisting in, sacrifice: performing sacrifice.—adv. Sacrifi′cially.—Sacrifice hit, in base-ball, a hit to enable another player to score or to gain a base.—Eucharistic sacrifice, the supposed constant renewal of the sacrifice of Christ in the mass. [O. Fr.,—L. sacrificium—sacer, sacred, facĕre, to make.]
Sacrilege, sak′ri-lej, n. profanation of a sacred place or thing: the breaking into a place of worship and stealing therefrom.—n. Sac′rileger (obs.).—adj. Sacrilē′gious, polluted with sacrilege: profane: violating sacred things.—adv. Sacrilē′giously.—ns. Sacrilē′giousness; Sac′rilēgist, one guilty of sacrilege. [Fr. sacrilège—L. sacrilegium—sacer, sacred, legĕre, to gather.]