sacrifice

[ sak-ruh-fahys ]

/ ˈsæk rəˌfaɪs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.

the person, animal, or thing so offered.

the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.

the thing so surrendered or devoted.

a loss incurred in selling something below its value.

Also called sacrifice bunt, sacrifice hit. Baseball. a bunt made when there are fewer than two players out, not resulting in a double play, that advances the base runner nearest home without an error being committed if there is an attempt to put the runner out, and that results in either the batter's being put out at first base, reaching first on an error made in the attempt for the put-out, or being safe because of an attempt to put out another runner.

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

to make a sacrifice or offering of.

to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.

to dispose of (goods, property, etc.) regardless of profit.

Baseball. to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a sacrifice.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

Baseball. to make a sacrifice: He sacrificed with two on and none out.

to offer or make a sacrifice.

Origin of sacrifice

1225–75; (noun) Middle English < Old French < Latin sacrificium, equivalent to sacri- (combining form of sacer holy) + -fic-, combining form of facere to make, do¹ + -ium -ium; (v.) Middle English sacrifisen, derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

8 relinquish, forgo, renounce.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

sac·ri·fice·a·ble, adjective sac·ri·fic·er, noun non·sac·ri·fice, noun non·sac·ri·fic·ing, adjective

pre·sac·ri·fice, noun, verb, pre·sac·ri·ficed, pre·sac·ri·fic·ing. su·per·sac·ri·fice, noun, verb (used with object), su·per·sac·ri·ficed, su·per·sac·ri·fic·ing. un·sac·ri·fice·a·ble, adjective un·sac·ri·ficed, adjective un·sac·ri·fic·ing, adjective well-sac·ri·ficed, adjective

Words nearby sacrifice

sacred order, sacred roman rota, sacred site, sacred thread, sacred writ, sacrifice, sacrifice fly, sacrifice paddock, sacrificial, sacrificial anode, sacrilege

Example sentences from the Web for sacrifice

The courage of this husband and father is a constant reminder of how much some sacrifice for exercising universal rights.

Behind Bars for the Holidays: 11 Political Prisoners We Want to See Free In 2015 |Movements.Org |December 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In fact, one the most sacred holiday for Muslims is the sacrifice of Abraham, known as Eid al-Adha.

Why Muslims Love Jesus Too |Dean Obeidallah |December 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They accepted the fact that their party would have to make deals and sacrifice priorities in 2015.

‘Cromnibus’ Passes, But Did Anyone Win? |Ben Jacobs |December 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It was in Saint-Rémy where Van Gogh sends his brother word of how all his sacrifice may soon be for nothing in this life.

Decoding Vincent Van Gogh’s Tempestuous, Fragile Mind |Nick Mafi |December 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

They sacrifice their shelter to contain the walkers—and Judith gets her first action scene!

The Walking Dead’s Midseason Finale Shocker: A Cherished Character Meets a Grisly End |Melissa Leon |December 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
More is often done for the worst cause than men are willing to do or to sacrifice for the best.

Public School Education |Michael Mller
A man who is good for anything is always ready for his duty, and so is a good woman always ready for a sacrifice.

The Small House at Allington |Anthony Trollope
After this some prayers are recited, and a sacrifice is offered.

Castes and Tribes of Southern India |Edgar Thurston
They intreated vs, that being absent wee would remember them, and by stelth prouided a sacrifice, which we misliked.

The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation, Volume XIV (of 16) |Richard Hakluyt
If a man was too poor to sacrifice a living animal, he offered an image of one made of bread.

Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions |T. W. Doane

British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice

sacrifice

/ (ˈsækrɪˌfaɪs) /

noun

a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil

a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity

a symbolic offering of something to a deity

the person, animal, or object surrendered, destroyed, killed, or offered

a religious ceremony involving one or more sacrifices

loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value

chess the act or an instance of sacrificing a piece

verb

to make a sacrifice (of); give up, surrender, or destroy (a person, thing, etc)

chess to permit or force one's opponent to capture (a piece) freely, as in playing a combination or gambit he sacrificed his queen and checkmated his opponent on the next move

Derived forms of sacrifice

sacrificeable, adjective sacrificer, noun

Word Origin for sacrifice

C13: via Old French from Latin sacrificium, from sacer holy + facere to make

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sacrifice

noun

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

Origin of sacrifice

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

Words nearby sacrifice

Example sentences from the Web for sacrifice

British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice

noun

verb

Derived forms of sacrifice

Word Origin for sacrifice

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sacrifice

noun

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

Origin of sacrifice

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

Words nearby sacrifice

Words related to sacrifice

Example sentences from the Web for sacrifice

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice

noun

verb

Derived forms of sacrifice

Word Origin for sacrifice

British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice