priest

plural priests

1. A religious clergyman (clergywoman, clergyperson) who is trained to perform services or sacrifices at a church or temple.

   The Shinto priest burnt incense for his ancestors.

   4 more examples

   The priest at the Catholic church heard his confession.

   The Israelite priests were descended from Moses' brother Aaron.

   It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   The church was tighening up on matters sexual. Until the middle of the tenth century it had been quite routine for priests to be married.

   1999, Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger, The Year 1000: What life was like at the turn of The First Millennium, London: Abacus, published 2000, page 169

2. A blunt tool, used for quickly stunning and killing fish.

   They flop and struggle, but she unhooks them swiftly, stunning them with a small brass priest.

   1983, Keri Hulme, The Bone People, Penguin, published 1986, page 212

3. MormonismThe highest office in the Aaronic priesthood.

present singular third person priests · participle present priesting · participle past priested · past priested

1. transitiveTo ordain as a priest.

   Chapman was a lay missionary and was not deaconed until 1844 and priested in 1852.

   1992, Allan Davidson, Donald D. Hook, “New Zealand's Prayer Book”, in Anglican and Episcopal History, 61.3, pages 247-251

   3 more examples

   If there bee any lasie fellow, any that cannot away with worke, any that would wallow in pleasures, hee is hastie to be priested. And when hee is made one, and has gotten a benefice, he consorts with his neighbour priests, who are altogether given to pleasures; and then both hee, and they, live, not like Christians, but like epicures; drinking, eating, feasting, and revelling, till the cow come home, as the saying is.

   1610, Alexander Cooke, Pope Joane, in William Oldys, editor, The Harleian Miscellany: or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxford's Library: Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes: With a Table of the Contents, and an Alphabetical Index, volume IV, London: Printed for T[homas] Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, 1744, OCLC 5325177; republished as John Maltham, editor, The Harleian Miscellany; or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxford's Library, Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes, volume IV, London: Printed for R. Dutton, 1808–1811, OCLC 30776079, page 95

   He was deaconed on the 23rd May, and priested on the 29th September, 1624, by John, Bishop of Sodar and Man.

   1869, George Bennett, The History of Bandon, Francis Guy, page 518

   Thus, Samuel Seabury... was deaconed by the Bishop of Lincoln and priested by the Bishop of Carlisle.

   2013, Gregory K. Cameron, “Locating the Anglican Communion in the History of Anglicanism”, in The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to the Anglican Communion, page 3

1. A surname.