Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
heathen

more about heathen

heathen


  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Heathen  \Hea"then\,  a. 
  1.  Gentile;  pagan;  as  a  heathen  author.  ``The  heathen 
  philosopher.''  ``All  in  gold,  like  heathen  gods.''  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Barbarous;  unenlightened;  heathenish. 
 
  3.  Irreligious;  scoffing. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Heathen  \Hea"then\  (?;  277),  n.;  pl  {Heathens}or  collectively 
  {Heathen}.  [OE.  hethen,  AS  h??en,  prop.  an  adj  fr  h?? 
  heath,  and  orig.,  therefore,  one  who  lives  in  the  country  or 
  on  the  heaths  and  in  the  woods  (cf.  pagan,  fr  pagus 
  village);  akin  to  OS  h??in,  adj.,  D.  heiden  a  heathen,  G. 
  heide,  OHG.  heidan,  Icel.  hei?inn,  adj.,  Sw  heden,  Goth. 
  haipn?,  n.  fem.  See  {Heath},  and  cf  {Hoiden}.] 
  1.  An  individual  of  the  pagan  or  unbelieving  nations,  or 
  those  which  worship  idols  and  do  not  acknowledge  the  true 
  God;  a  pagan;  an  idolater. 
 
  2.  An  irreligious  person. 
 
  If  it  is  no  more  than  a  moral  discourse,  he  may 
  preach  it  and  they  may  hear  it  and  yet  both 
  continue  unconverted  heathens.  --V.  Knox. 
 
  {The  heathen},  as  the  term  is  used  in  the  Scriptures,  all 
  people  except  the  Jews;  now  used  of  all  people  except 
  Christians,  Jews,  and  Mohammedans. 
 
  Ask  of  me  and  I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for 
  thine  inheritance.  --Ps.  ii  8. 
 
  Syn:  Pagan;  gentile.  See  {Pagan}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  heathen 
  adj  :  not  acknowledging  the  God  of  Christianity  and  Judaism  and 
  Islam  [syn:  {heathenish},  {pagan}] 
  n  :  a  person  who  does  not  acknowledge  your  God  [syn:  {pagan},  {gentile}, 
  {infidel}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Heathen 
  (Heb.  plural  goyum).  At  first  the  word  _goyim_  denoted  generally 
  all  the  nations  of  the  world  (Gen.  18:18;  comp.  Gal.  3:8).  The 
  Jews  afterwards  became  a  people  distinguished  in  a  marked  manner 
  from  the  other  _goyim_.  They  were  a  separate  people  (Lev.  20:23; 
  26:14-45;  Deut.  28),  and  the  other  nations,  the  Amorites, 
  Hittites,  etc.,  were  the  _goyim_,  the  heathen,  with  whom  the 
  Jews  were  forbidden  to  be  associated  in  any  way  (Josh.  23:7;  1 
  Kings  11:2).  The  practice  of  idolatry  was  the  characteristic  of 
  these  nations,  and  hence  the  word  came  to  designate  idolaters 
  (Ps.  106:47;  Jer.  46:28;  Lam.  1:3;  Isa.  36:18),  the  wicked  (Ps. 
  9:5,  15,  17). 
 
  The  corresponding  Greek  word  in  the  New  Testament,  _ethne_, 
  has  similar  shades  of  meaning.  In  Acts  22:21,  Gal.  3:14,  it 
  denotes  the  people  of  the  earth  generally;  and  in  Matt.  6:7,  an 
  idolater.  In  modern  usage  the  word  denotes  all  nations  that  are 
  strangers  to  revealed  religion. 
 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  HEATHEN,  n.  A  benighted  creature  who  has  the  folly  to  worship 
  something  that  he  can  see  and  feel  According  to  Professor  Howison 
  of  the  California  State  University,  Hebrews  are  heathens. 
 
  "The  Hebrews  are  heathens!"  says  Howison  He's 
  A  Christian  philosopher.  I'm 
  A  scurril  agnostical  chap,  if  you  please, 
  Addicted  too  much  to  the  crime 
  Of  religious  discussion  in  my  rhyme. 
 
  Though  Hebrew  and  Howison  cannot  agree 
  On  a  _modus  vivendi_  --  not  they!  -- 
  Yet  Heaven  has  had  the  designing  of  me 
  And  I  haven't  been  reared  in  a  way 
  To  joy  in  the  thick  of  the  fray. 
 
  For  this  of  my  creed  is  the  soul  and  the  gist, 
  And  the  truth  of  it  I  aver: 
  Who  differs  from  me  in  his  faith  is  an  'ist, 
  And  'ite,  an  'ie,  or  an  'er  -- 
  And  I'm  down  upon  him  or  her! 
 
  Let  Howison  urge  with  perfunctory  chin 
  Toleration  --  that's  all  very  well 
  But  a  roast  is  nuts"  to  his  nostril  thin, 
  And  he's  running  --  I  know  by  the  smell  -- 
  A  secret  and  personal  Hell! 
  Bissell  Gip 
 
 




more about heathen