- Sacrifice
- Sacrifice Sac"ri*fice (?; 277), n. [OE. sacrifise, sacrifice,
F. sacrifice, fr. L. sacrificium; sacer sacred + facere to
make. See {Sacred}, and {Fact}.]
1. The offering of anything to God, or to a god; consecratory
rite.
[1913 Webster]
Great pomp, and sacrifice, and praises loud, To Dagon. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
2. Anything consecrated and offered to God, or to a divinity; an immolated victim, or an offering of any kind, laid upon an altar, or otherwise presented in the way of religious thanksgiving, atonement, or conciliation. [1913 Webster]
Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood Of human sacrifice. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
My life, if thou preserv'st my life, Thy sacrifice shall be. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
3. Destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else; devotion of some desirable object in behalf of a higher object, or to a claim deemed more pressing; hence, also, the thing so devoted or given up; as, the sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of pleasure to interest. [1913 Webster]
4. A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value. [Tradesmen's Cant] [1913 Webster]
{Burnt sacrifice}. See {Burnt offering}, under {Burnt}.
{Sacrifice hit} (Baseball), in batting, a hit of such a kind that the batter loses his chance of tallying, but enables one or more who are on bases to get home or gain a base. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.