anathema
(əˈnæθɪmə)
Pl. anathemas; also, in sense 3, anaˈthemata.
[a. L. anathema an excommunicated person, also the curse of excommunication, a. Gr. ἀνάθεµα, orig. ‘a thing devoted,’ but in later usage ‘a thing devoted to evil, an accursed thing’ (see Rom. ix. 3). Orig. a var. of ἀνάθηµα an offering, a thing set up (to the gods), n. of product f. ἀνατιθέναι to set up, f. ἀνά up + τιθέναι (stem θε-) to place. Cf. prec., and anatheme.]
I. From eccl. Greek and Latin.
1. Anything accursed, or consigned to damnation. Also quasi-adj. Accursed, consigned to perdition.
| 1526 [See anathema maranatha]. 1625 Bacon Ess., Goodness (Arb.) 207 He would wish to be an Anathema from Christ, for the Salvation of his Brethren. 1634 Canne Necess. Separ. (1849) 162 Delivered over unto Satan, proclaimed publicans, heathens, anathema. 1765 Tucker Lt. Nat. II. 299 Saint Paul wished to become anathema himself, so he could thereby save his brethren. |
2. The formal act, or formula, of consigning to damnation. a. The curse of God. b. The great curse of the church, cutting off a person from the communion of the church visible, and formally handing him over to Satan; or denouncing any doctrine or practice as damnable. Hence c. Any denunciation or imprecation of divine wrath against alleged impiety, heresy, etc. d. A curse or imprecation generally.
(The weakening of the sense has accompanied the free use of anathemas as weapons of ecclesiastical rancour.)
| a. a 1619 Donne Biathan. (1644) 192 Which Anathema..was utter damnation, as all Expositors say. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 64 The divine thunders out his anathemas. 1877 Mozley Univ. Serm. ii. 37 To strike with His anathema those who made a gain of their virtues. |
| b. 1590 Swinburn Testaments 60 Vnlesse he be excommunicate with that great curse, which is called Anathema. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. v. xi. 404 The Donatists, whilest blessing themselves, cared not for the Churches Anathema's. 1726 Ayliffe Parerg. 256 An Anathema..differs from an Excommunication only in respect of a greater kind of Solemnity. 1769 Robertson Charles V, III. viii. 71 Against all who disclaimed the truth of these tenets, anathemas were denounced. 1844 Gladstone Gleanings V. xlv. 114 The Pope..has condemned the slave trade—but no more heed is paid to his anathema than to the passing wind. |
| c. 1782 Priestley Nat. & Rev. Relig. II. 80 The Mohammedans denounce anathemas against unbelievers. 1850 Gladstone Gleanings V. xiv. 182 To deliver over to anathema the memories of our forefathers in the Church. |
| d. 1691 Norris Pract. Disc. 90 Willing rather to err with the Multitude..than incur the great Censure, the heavy Anathema of Singularity. a 1757 Cibber in Dilworth Pope 16 How then could you thunder out such anathema's on your own enemies? 1827 Lytton Pelham lxvii. (1840) 294 ‘Confound the man!’ was my mental anathema. 1867 L. M. Child Romance Repub. xx. 237 The Signor..succeeded in smothering his half-uttered anathemas. |
II. From the earlier sense of ἀνάθεµα or ἀνάθηµα. (In this sense better pronounced ænəˈθiːmə)
3. A thing devoted or consecrated to divine use.
| 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 39 Anathema (saith Chrisostome) are those things which being consecrated to God, are laied up from other things. 1608 Topsell Serpents 779 Will not permit a [spider's] web—the very pattern, index, and anathema of supernaturall wisdome—to remain untouched. 1857 Birch Anc. Pottery (1858) I. 178 The little figures, in the shape of animals..may have been votive offerings to the gods, such anathemata being offered by the poor. |
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▸ adj. In predicative use: loathsome, repugnant, or extremely objectionable to.
| 1648 R. Herrick Hesperides sig. S7, Who read'st this Book that I have writ, And can'st not mend, but carpe at it: By all the muses! thou shalt be Anathema to it, and me. 1862 Littell's Living Age 5 Apr. 22/1 Apple-green papers in bedrooms have long been anathema to nervous men. 1880 Littell's Living Age 6 Mar. 617/2 Glory such as Rajah Brooke has won was ‘anathema’ to him. 1919 R. Firbank Valmouth xi. 189 A book is anathema to her. 1944 Sun (Baltimore) 19 Oct. 21/2 Defeats are anathema to gridsters with January 1 [i.e. the day on which post-season bowl games are played] on their minds. 1970 M. Tormé Other Side of Rainbow (1971) iii. 50 While lip-syncing is anathema to most singers, it was Judy's particular teacup. 2005 Gay Times Dec. 150/1 The idea of paying to simply go into a bar is anathema to us Northerners. |