God's acre
[ad. G. Gottesacker, Du. Godsakker.
Properly, ‘God's seed-field’, in which the bodies of the departed are ‘sown’ (1 Cor. xv. 36–44) in hope of the resurrection.]
A churchyard.
| 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 7 They have (as many Cities in Germany have) a beautiful place to bury their dead, called Gods⁓aker, vulgarly Gotts-aker. 1646 Trapp Comm. John xi. 11 The Greeks call their Church-yards dormitoryes, sleeping⁓places. The Germans call them Godsacre. [1668 R. Steele Husbandman's Calling x. (1672) 251 Remember that the heart is God's acre, a place prepared for the Lord.] 1841 Longfellow God's-acre, I like that ancient Saxon phrase which calls The burial-ground God's-acre. 1862 Sala Accepted Addr. 219 That God's Acre looks, with its white and grey tombstones, so peaceful and so tranquil. |