priestdom
(ˈpriːstdəm)
[f. priest n. + -dom.]
† a. The office of priest, priesthood. Obs. † b. With possessive, as a mock title (cf. priestship). Obs. c. The rule or dominion of priests. rare.
| 1528 Tindale Obed. Chr. Man 135 b, He was cursed and loost the kyngdome and also the prestdome. 1588 Marprel. Epist. (Arb.) 26, I woulde praye your priestdomes to tell me which is the better scholler. 1615 E. Hoby Curry-combe iii. 130 Your answer puts the nose of your Priestdome clean out of ioynt. 1871 H. B. Forman Living Poets 372 The people crucified by king-craft and priest-dom. 1895 Crockett Bog Myrtle i. i. 20 It is a mistaken belief that priestdom died when they spelled it Presbytery. |