Other Church Definition
[n] a service conducted in a church; "don't be late for church"
[n] a place for public (especially Christian) worship; "the church was empty"
[n] one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship; "the Catholic church is debating the issue of women priests"
[n] the body of people who attend or belong to a particular local church; "our church is hosting a picnic next week"
[v] bring someone to church for a special rite, as of a woman after childbirth
See Also...
abbey, amen corner, apse, apsis, basilica, bema, body, bring, cathedral, Catholic Church, chancel, Christendom, Christian, Christianity, church tower, convey, Coptic Church, divine service, faith, house of God, house of prayer, house of worship, kirk, lady chapel, narthex, nave, place of worship, presbytery, Protestant, Protestant Church, religion, religious service, rood screen, sacristy, sanctuary, service, side chapel, take, transept, vestry
Related Terms
adherents, affiliation, apostleship, bedtime prayer, body, branch, call, camp meeting, care of souls, church service, churchly, class, communion, community, compline, confession, connection, creed, cult, denomination, devotions, disciples, divine service,
Misc. Definitions
\Church\, n. [OE. chirche, chireche, cherche, Scot. kirk, from AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw. kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. ? the Lord's house, fr. ? concerning a master or lord, fr. ? master, lord, fr. ? power, might; akin to Skr. [,c][=u]ra hero, Zend. [,c]ura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf. {Kirk}.]
1. A building set apart for Christian worship.
2. A Jewish or heathen temple. [Obs.] --Acts xix. 3
7.
3. A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together. ``When they had ordained them elders in every church.'' --Acts xiv. 2
3.
4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.
5. The collective body of Christians.
6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church of Brahm.
7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community; ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil. Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors. --Bulwer. Note: Church is often used in composition to denote something belonging or relating to the church; as, church authority; church history; church member; church music, etc. {Apostolic church}. See under {Apostolic}. {Broad church}. See {Broad Church}. {Catholic or Universal} {church}, the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world. {Church of England}, or {English church}, the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law. {Church living}, a benefice in an established church. {Church militant}. See under {Militant}. {Church owl} (Zo["o]l.), the white owl. See {Barn owl}. {Church rate}, a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services. {Church session}. See under {Session}. {Church triumphant}. See under {Triumphant}. {Church work}, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion. {Established church}, the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.
\Church\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Churched}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Churching}.] To bless according to a prescribed form, or to unite with in publicly returning thanks in church, as after deliverance from the dangers of childbirth; as, the churching of women.
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