▪ I. profane, a. (n.)
(prəʊˈfeɪn)
Also 6 prophan, 6–7 -phain(e, 6–8 -phane.
[a. obs. F. prophane (1228 in Godef. Compl.), mod.F. profane, ad. L. profān-us, in med.L. also prophān-us, lit. ‘before (i.e. outside) the temple’, hence ‘not sacred, common’; also, ‘impious’: see pro-1 and fane2.
The spelling proph- (in med.L., Fr., and Eng.), evidently due to erroneous imitation of such words from Gr. as prophēta, phantasia (see note under PH), occurs as early as 1025 in prophānāre (Du Cange). Prophane was the ordinary spelling in Eng. down to 1750, and occurs as late as 1795. So the derivatives, prophaneness, prophanity, etc.]
1. Not pertaining or devoted to what is sacred or biblical, esp. in profane history, profane literature; unconsecrated, secular, lay, common; civil, as distinguished from ecclesiastical.
| 1483 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 241/1 The said..Mariage was made privaly and secretely,..in a private Chamber, a prophane place. 1549 Latimer's 2nd Serm. bef. Edw. VI To Rdr. (Arb.) 49 We myghte as well spende that tyme in reading of prophane hystories, of cantorburye tales, or a fit of Roben Hode. 1570 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) 555 In a certeyne chappell not hallowed, or rather in a prophane cotage. 1581 W. Stafford Exam. Compl. i. (1876) 26 Scholers that came to learne his prophane sciences. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj., Forme of Proces 109 b, All civill actions, that hes not fidei, vel juramenti interpositionem, are civill, and profane: and therefore perteines not to the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. (1634) 268 If there be any truth in prophaine antiquitie. 1718 Free-thinker No. 6 ¶3 The most celebrated Examples of an Heroical Death in Prophane Story, are, Socrates amongst the Greeks [etc.]. 1678 Bunyan Pilg. Prog. i. 104 What you will; I will talk of..things Sacred, or things Prophane. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. 83/1 Things sacred..appertain to the public worship:..things profane..regard the welfare and good of the Society. 1788 Priestley Lect. Hist. ii. xii. 100 The best guide to the knowledge of prophane history. 1875 Scrivener Lect. Text N. Test. 4 Not of the Bible only, but of those precious remains of profane literature. |
b. Of persons: orig. Not initiated into the religious rites or sacred mysteries; transf. not participating in or admitted to some esoteric knowledge; uninitiated, ‘lay’, Philistine.
| 1616 B. Jonson Hymenæi Wks. (Rtldg.) 553/1 Bid all profane away; None here may stay To view our mysteries. a 1667 Cowley tr. Horace's Odes iii. i. Hence, ye Prophane; I hate ye all; Both the Great Vulgar, and the Small. 1697 Dryden æneid vi. 368 Far hence be souls profane (The Sibyl cried). 1764 Foote Patron ii. Wks. 1799 I. 350 The ignorant, the profane (by much the majority), will be apt to think it an occupation ill suited to my time of life. 1866 Howells Venet. Life 147 No one profane to the profession of artist ever acquired a just notion of any picture by reading. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) II. 69 Let the attendants and other profane persons close the doors of their ears. |
2. Applied to persons or things regarded as unholy or as desecrating what is holy or sacred: unhallowed; ritually unclean or polluted; esp. said of the rites of an alien religion: heathen, pagan.
| 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxvi. 35 The ayr infectit and prophane [v.r. profane]. 1560 Bible (Genev.) Heb. xii. 16 Let there be no fornicator, or prophane persone as Esau, which for a portion of meat solde his byrth right. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ii. 135 margin, Tempilis..to prophane Godis. Ibid. iii. 188 Prophane rites of the Ethnikis. 1606 Chapman Monsieur D'Olive ii. Plays 1873 I. 215 Said [of tobacco] 'twas a pagan plant, a prophane weede And a most sinful smoke. 1609 Bible (Douay) Isa. lxv. 4 A people..that eate swines flesh, and profane pottage in their vessels. 1632 Sanderson Serm. 16 Hypocrites, and vnsanctified and prophane, and such as are in the state of damnation. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 670 Nor are the Gods ador'd with Rights prophane. 1738 Wesley Ps. xlv. ix, Nothing profane can dwell with Thee. 1878 Maclear Celts ix. 147 [He] was rewarded by seeing many won from their profane rites. |
3. Characterized by disregard or contempt of sacred things, esp., in later use, by the taking of God's name in vain; irreverent, blasphemous, ribald; impious, irreligious, wicked.
| c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xxxiv. 47 Ȝo{supr} prettikes ar profane, Puir ladeis to supplant. 1666 Jer. Taylor Serm., Whole Duty Clergy ii. 202 He is a prophane person who neglects the exterior part of Religion: and this is so vile a crime, that hypocrisie while it is undiscovered is not so much mischievous as open prophaneness, or a neglect and contempt of external Religion. 1666–7 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 210 The Bill against Atheism and prophane Swearing we have sent up to the Lords. 1722 De Foe Relig. Courtsh. i. i. (1840) 28 We need no profane husbands to keep us back: a loose, irreligious husband, is a dreadful snare. 1755 Johnson, Profane, irreverent to sacred names or things. 1841 W. Spalding Italy & It. Isl. III. 271 The Testament of this personage, which may usually be purchased at any stall,..is a very profane production. |
B. absol. or as n. One who is profane.
(The first example may be the pl. of the adj. as in Fr.; the last is a Gallicism.)
| a 1529 Skelton Col. Cloute 208 Howe some of you do eate In Lenton season fleshe mete,..Men call you therfor prophanes. 1596 Harington Metam. Ajax (1814) 6 Who can stand against such an army of emperors, kings, magistrates, prophets, all-hallows, all-prophanes,..as are by him brought for enobling his arguments? 1891 M. O'Rell Frenchm. in Amer. 294 They will declare you a profane, unworthy to live. |
▪ II. profane, v.
(prəʊˈfeɪn)
Also 4–8 prophane.
[ME. prophane = OF. prophaner (1486 in Godef. Compl.), mod.F. profaner, ad. L. profān-āre, in med.L. prophānāre to render unholy, desecrate, violate, disclose, f. profān-us profane a.]
1. trans. To treat (what is sacred) with irreverence, contempt, or disregard; to desecrate, violate.
| 1382 Wyclif Ezek. xxiii. 38 Thei prophaneden [gloss or maden vnhooli] my sabotis. 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. iii. 35 He commandeth..to prophane their places and tabernacles euen to make them lothely and abominable. 1611 Bible Lev. xix. 12 Ye shall not sweare by my Name falsly, neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God: I am the Lord. 1623 Cockeram, Profane, to put holy things to a common vse. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. v. (1841) I. 97 You have been guilty of profaning the Lord's day. 1795 Gentl. Mag. July 542/1 [In France] where licentiousness, prophaning the sacred name of liberty, has gloried in the destruction of order. 1854 Milman Lat. Chr. iv. viii. (1864) II. 379 Feasts and revels profaned the most hallowed sanctuaries. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 487 It is an excellent rule not lightly to profane the names of the Gods. |
b. To misuse, abuse (what ought to be held in reverence or respect); to violate, defile, pollute.
| 1563 Winȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 21 Mariit women defilit, wedowis spulȝeit, virginis prophanit. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 391, I feele me much to blame, So idly to prophane the precious time. 1685 Pennsylv. Archives I. 94 Least men prophain Government by an unhallowed use of it. 1716 Gay Trivia i. 75 Imprudent Men Heav'ns choicest Gifts prophane. 1844 Disraeli Coningsby vii. v, There was no malicious gossip, no callous chatter to profane his ear. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus lxii. 55 (46) Once her body profan'd, her flow'r of chastity blighted. |
† c. To make (anything of value) the property of the vulgar crowd; to vulgarize. Obs. rare—1.
| 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. ii. §4 Well understanding that wisdome is not prophan'd unto the World, and 'tis the priviledge of a few to be Vertuous. |
2. absol. or intr. To act or speak profanely; to blaspheme. rare.
| 1690 Penn Rise & Progr. Quakers i. (1694) 27 They grew very troublesome to the better sort of People, and furnished the looser with an occasion to Profane. |
Hence proˈfaned ppl. a., proˈfaning vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. i. 847 Myn auctour eek,..Seith this prophaned thyng may nought auaile. 1548 Recorde Urin. Physick Pref. (1651) 7 It is a profaining of learning, and a meanes to bring it into contempt. 1839–52 Bailey Festus 205 Scenes..Of senseless and profaning mirth. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus xv. 14 But should impious heat or humour headstrong Drive thee wilfully, wretch, to such profaning. 1884 Black Jud. Shaks. iii, The profaning of sacred places will bring a punishment. |