edify — [ed′i fī΄] vt. edified, edifying [ME edifien < OFr edifier < L aedificare, to build, construct (in LL(Ec) to edify) < aedes, a dwelling, house, temple, orig., hearth, fireplace < IE base * ai dh , to burn (> Gr aithein, to burn, OE … English World dictionary
Edify — Ed i*fy, v. i. To improve. [R.] Swift. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
edify — I verb brief, coach, direct, discipline, docere, educate, enlarge the mind, enlighten, guide, improve, inform, instruct, prime, school, show, strengthen, teach, train, tutor, upbuild, uplift II index disabuse, educate, enlighten … Law dictionary
edify — mid 14c., to build, construct, also, in figurative use, to build up morally or in faith, from O.Fr. edefiier build, install, teach, instruct (morally), from L. aedificare to build, construct, in Late Latin improve spiritually, instruct (see… … Etymology dictionary
edify — ► VERB (edifies, edified) ▪ instruct or improve morally or intellectually. DERIVATIVES edification noun edifying adjective. ORIGIN Latin aedificare build … English terms dictionary
edify — UK [ˈedɪfaɪ] / US [ˈedəˌfaɪ] verb [transitive] Word forms edify : present tense I/you/we/they edify he/she/it edifies present participle edifying past tense edified past participle edified formal to teach someone something that increases their… … English dictionary
edify — edifier, n. edifyingly, adv. /ed euh fuy/, v.t., edified, edifying. to instruct or benefit, esp. morally or spiritually; uplift: religious paintings that edify the viewer. [1300 50; ME edifien < AF, OF edifier < L aedificare to build, equiv. to… … Universalium
edify — verb /ˈɛdɪfaɪ/ a) To build, construct. That Castle was most goodly edifyde, / And plaste for pleasure nigh that forrest syde [...]. b) To instruct or improve morally or intellectually. That the … Wiktionary
edify — [14] As its close relative edifice [14] suggests, edify has to do literally with ‘building’. And in fact its underlying etymological sense is ‘building a hearth’. That was the original sense of Latin aedis. Gradually, though, it was extended, in… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
edify — ed•i•fy [[t]ˈɛd ə faɪ[/t]] v. t. fied, fy•ing to instruct or benefit, esp. morally or spiritually; uplift; enlighten • Etymology: 1300–50; ME < AF, OF edifier < L aedificāre to build (LL: to edify, strengthen) =aedi , s. of aedes house,… … From formal English to slang
