sacrifice

plural sacrifices

1. countableuncountablelifestyleOriginally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity.

   […] Moloch, horrid King beſmear'd with blood / Of human ſacrifice, and parents tears, / Though for the noyſe of Drums and Timbrels loud / Their childrens cries unheard, that paſt through fire / To his grim Idol.

   1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature [B3], recto, lines 392–396

   3 more examples

   They firſt vvaſh the dead body, paint him, clothe him, and ſo conueigh him to his Dormitorie, vvhich is ſpacious and neat, vvherein they bury his Armolets, Bracelets, Shackles and ſuch Treaſure, concluding their Ceremonies vvith Mimmicke geſtures and eiaculations: vvhich, vvith the Sacrifice of a Goat, vpon his Graue, puts a period to their Burials.

   1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “[Angola]”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, pages 9–10

   [T]he Beaſts they offered in ſacrifice, and the Gifts they offered, and their actions in VVorſhipping, vvere full of ſubmiſſion, and commemorative of benefits received, vvas according to reaſon, as proceeding from an intention to honour him [God].

   1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of the Kingdome of God by Nature”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Of Common-wealth), page 192

   This day the Philiſtines a popular Feaſt / Here celebrate in Gaza; and proclaim / Great Pomp, and Sacrifice, and Praiſes loud / To Dagon, as their God vvho hath deliver'd / Thee Samſon bound and blind into thir hands, […]

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 32, lines 435–439

2. countableuncountablelifestyleA human being or an animal, or a physical object or immaterial thing (see etymology 1 sense 1.3), offered to a deity.

   Make of your Prayers one ſvveet Sacrifice, / And lift my Soule to Heauen.

   1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 212, column 2

   2 more examples

   O th'inchaunting vvords of that baſe ſlaue, / Made him to thinke Epeus pine-tree Horſe [i.e., the Trojan Horse] / A ſacrifize t'appeaſe Mineruas vvrath: […]

   1594, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Nash[e], The Tragedie of Dido Queene of Carthage: […], London: […] Widdowe Orwin, for Thomas Woodcocke, […], →OCLC, Act II, signature [B4], verso

   Does the mute Sacrifice upbraid the Prieſt? / He knovvs him not his Executioner.

   1677 (first performance), John Dryden, All for Love: Or, The World Well Lost. A Tragedy, […], [London]: […] Tho[mas] Newcomb, for Henry Herringman, […], published 1678, →OCLC, Act I, page 6

3. countablefigurativelyuncountablelifestyleThe offering of devotion, penitence, prayer, thanksgiving, etc., to a deity.

   And they ſhall come […] bringing ſacrifices of praiſe vnto the houſe of the Lord.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 17:26, column 2

   2 more examples

   Let vs therfore by him [Jesus] offre allwayes vnto God the ſacrifice of prayſe: that is to ſaye, the frute of thoſe lippes which confeſſe his name.

   1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Hebrues xiij:[15], folio ciiij, recto, column 2

   [W]e thy humble ſeruauntes […] entierely deſiryng thy fatherly goodnes, mercifully to accepte this our Sacrifice of praiſe and thankes geuing: […]

   1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, “The Supper of the Lorde, and the Holy Communion, Commonly Called the Masse”, in The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], London: […] Edowardi Whitchurche […], →OCLC, folio cxxviii, verso

4. countablespecificallyuncountableChristianityJesus Christ's voluntary offering of himself to God the Father to be crucified as atonement for the sins of humankind.
5. broadlycountablespecificallyuncountableChristianityThe rite of Holy Communion or the Mass, regarded as (Protestantism) an offering of thanksgiving to God for Christ's crucifixion, or (Roman Catholicism) a perpetual re-presentation of Christ's sacrificial offering.

   The pretensions of the holy see, the authority of tradition, purgatory, transubstantiation, the sacrifice of the mass, […] were copiously discussed.

   1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter VI, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, pages 109–110

6. countablefigurativelyuncountableThe destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else regarded as more urgent or valuable; also, the thing destroyed or surrendered for this purpose.

   the sacrifice of one’s spare time in order to volunteer

   5 more examples

   As rich ſhall Romeo by his Lady [Juliet] lie, / Poore Sacrifices to our Enmitie.

   c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] Romeo and Juliet. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, published 1597, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], signature [K4], recto

   The benefit vvhich a Soveraign beſtovveth on a Subject, […] are rather Sacrifices, vvhich the Soveraign (conſidered in his naturall perſon, and not in the perſon of the Common-vvealth) makes, for the appeaſing the diſcontent of him he thinks more potent than himſelfe; and encourage not to obedience, but on the contrary, to the continuance, and increaſing of further extortion.

   1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of Punishments, and Rewards”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Of Common-wealth), page 166

   Ambition this ſhall tempt to riſe, / Then vvhirl the vvretch from high, / To bitter Scorn a ſacrifice, / And grinning Infamy.

   1753, T[homas] Gray, “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College”, in Designs by Mr. R[ichard] Bentley, for Six Poems by Mr. T. Gray, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 12

   [Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of] Clarendon saw that he was not likely to gain anything by the sacrifice of his principles, and determined to take them back again.

   1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter X, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 647

   And it's no sacrifice / Just a simple word / It's two hearts living / In two separate worlds / But it's no sacrifice / No sacrifice / It's no sacrifice at all

   1989 August 29, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, “Sacrifice”, in Sleeping with the Past, performed by Elton John, London: The Rocket Record Company, →OCLC

7. abbreviationcountableellipsisfigurativelyuncountableball gamesEllipsis of sacrifice bunt or sacrifice hit (“a play in which the batter intentionally hits the ball softly with a hands-spread batting stance at the cost of an out to advance one or more runners”).
8. countablefigurativelyuncountablebridgeIn full sacrifice bid: a bid of a contract which is unlikely to be fulfilled, that a player makes in the hope that they will incur fewer penalty points than the points likely to be gained by opponents in making their contract.

   Synonyms: save

9. countabledatedfigurativelyslanguncountablebusinessA monetary loss incurred by selling something at less than its value; also, the thing thus sold.

   [H]e bought a green shawl for Mrs. Bolton, and a yellow one for Fanny: the most brilliant "sacrifices" of a Regent-street haberdasher's window.

   1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, “Conversations”, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume II, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 216

   1 more example

   The Old Year was already looked upon as dead; and its effects were selling cheap like some drowned mariner's aboardship. Its patterns were Last Year's and going at a sacrifice, before its breath was gone. Its treasures were mere dirt, beside the riches of its unborn successor!

   1844 (date written), Charles Dickens, “The Second Quarter”, in The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year out and a New Year in, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1845, →OCLC, pages 52–53

10. countablefigurativelyuncountableboard gamesAn act of intentionally allowing one's piece to be captured by the opponent in order to improve one's position in the game.

present singular third person sacrifices · participle present sacrificing · participle past sacrificed · past sacrificed · first person past singular sacrificed · archaic present second person singular sacrificest · past second person singular sacrificed · archaic past second person singular sacrificedst · present singular third person sacrifices · archaic present singular third person sacrificeth · past singular third person sacrificed · past plural sacrificed · past subjunctive sacrificed · participle present sacrificing · participle past sacrificed

1. transitivelifestyleTo offer (a human being or an animal, or an object) to a deity.

   [B]oth the muſes and the graces are his hard Miſtriſſes, though he daily Invocate them, though he ſacrifize Hecatombs, they ſtil look a ſquint, […]

   a. 1632 (date written), John Donne, “[Characters.] The True Character of a Dunce.”, in Paradoxes, Problemes, Essayes, Characters, […], London: […] T. N. for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1652, →OCLC, page 68

   4 more examples

   And there ſhall bee no leauened bread ſeene with thee in all thy coaſts ſeuen dayes, neither ſhall there any thing of the fleſh, which thou ſacrificedſt the firſt day at Euen, remaine all night, vntill the morning.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 16:4, column 2

   Their Funerals are theſe, they bring the dead corps neere to their Churches, vvhere they ſacrifice him to aſhes, in coſtly perfumes, in Aromatique Gummes and Spices.

   1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “A Description of the Bannyans in India”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, page 39

   [T]he Scripture vvith indignation, oft times makes mention of humane ſacrifice among the Gentiles, vvhoſe oblations ſcarce made ſcruple of any Animall, ſacrificing not onely man, but Horſes, Lyons, Ægles; […]

   1646, Thomas Browne, “Of the Picture of Jephtha Sacrificing His Daughter”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 5th book, page 255

   [I]f they ſacrifice their Enemies it is not neceſſary they ſhould eat them too. After all, I vvill not be peremptory in the Negative, but I ſpeak as to the compaſs of my ovvn knovvledge, and knovv ſome of theſe Cannibal ſtories to be falſe, and many of them have been diſproved ſince I firſt vvent to the VVeſt Indies.

   1697, William Dampier, chapter XVII, in A New Voyage Round the World. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, page 485

   Synonyms: Molochise, Molochize

2. broadlyfigurativelytransitiveTo destroy or kill (a human being or an animal); specifically (sciences), to kill (an animal) for a scientific experiment or test.

   Condemn'd to ſacrifice his childiſh Years / To babling Ign'rance, and to empty Fears; […]

   1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, page 476

   1 more example

   Heaven chastises thee, Baharkan! Thou wast cruel, vindictive, and inexorable. With thee humanity had no value. Thou sacrificedst thy brethren on the slightest suspicion.

   1812, “The Story of Baharkan, the Intemperate”, in Tales of the East: Comprising the Most Popular Romances of Oriental Origin; […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Company] for John Ballantyne and Company, Sylvester Doig and Andrew Stirling; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, and Robert Scholey, →OCLC, page 133, column 2

3. broadlyfigurativelytransitiveTo destroy or surrender (something) for the sake of something else regarded as more urgent or valuable.

   Venison has many advantages over meat from factory farms, although it still requires a hunter to sacrifice the life of a deer.

   5 more examples

   Deuce take lady S⁠⸺; and if I know D⁠⸺⁠y, he is a rawboned faced fellow, not handsome, nor visibly so young as you say: she sacrifices two thousand pounds a year, and keeps only six hundred.

   1710 October 1 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Jonathan Swift, “[Dr. Swift’s Journal to Stella.] Letter IV.”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XIV, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 208

   [W]riters ſhould ceaſe from inteſtine hoſtilities; and, inſtead of ſacrificing each other to malice and contempt, endeavour to avert perſecution from the meaneſt of their fraternity.

   1751 August 16 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 145. Monday, August 6. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VI, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1751, →OCLC, page 109

   Could it then be doubted that, if the Churchmen would even now comply with his wishes, he would willingly sacrifice the Puritans?

   1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter VII, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 222

   The Baronet had sacrificed a large sum, and even straitened the resources by which he was to carry out his architectural schemes, for the sake of removing the entail from his estate, and making this boy his heir—[…]

   1857, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “[Mr Gilfil’s Love-story.] Chapter IV”, in Scenes of Clerical Life […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published January 1858, →OCLC, page 243

   From the pangs of grief thou shalt then be again released, / When thou sacrificest thine own affections, O my heart!

   1862, Aḥmad Shāh Abdālī [i.e., Ahmad Shāh Durrānī], “[The Poems of Aḥmad Shāh, Abdālī.] [Poem] IX.”, in H[enry] G[eorge] Raverty, transl., Selections from the Poetry of the Afghāns, from the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth Century: […], London; Edinburgh: Williams and Norgate, […], →OCLC, page 301

4. broadlyfigurativelytransitiveball gamesOf a batter: to advance (one or more runners on base) by batting the ball so it can be fielded, placing the batter out but with insufficient time to put the runner(s) out.
5. broadlydatedfigurativelyslangtransitivebusinessTo sell (something) at less than its value, thus incurring a monetary loss.

   A newspaper advertisement announces that "A professional gentleman is instructed to sacrifice Three young sound Horses at half their cost." We wonder what deity horses could be sacrificed to?

   1850 March 30, “Sacrifice Extraordinary”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume XVIII, London: […] William Bradbury, […], and Frederick Mullett Evans, […], →OCLC, page 130, column 2

6. broadlyfigurativelytransitiveboard gamesTo intentionally allow (a piece) to be captured by the opponent in order to improve one's position in the game.
7. intransitivelifestyleTo offer a human being or an animal, or an object, to a deity.

   Like a coy maiden, eaſe, vvhen courted moſt, / Fartheſt retires—an idol, at vvhoſe ſhrine / VVho oft'neſt ſacrifice are favor'd leaſt.

   1785, William Cowper, “Book I. The Sofa.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 22

   3 more examples

   All things come alike to all: there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the cleane, and to the vncleane; to him that ſacrificeth, and to him that ſacrificeth not: as is the good, ſo is the ſinner, and hee that ſweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ecclesiastes 9:2, column 1

   [T]he sailors tremblingly / Call on the Twins of Jove with prayer and vow, / Gathered in fear upon the lofty prow, / And sacrifice with snow-white lambs, […]

   1818 (date written), Percy Bysshe Shelley, “To Castor and Pollux”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. […], new edition, London: Edward Moxon […], published 1840, →OCLC, page 338, column 1

   If, therefore, because of money thou praisest God, not voluntarily thou sacrificest to God, but out of necessity thou sacrificest: because, beside Him, something else has thy love.

   1849, S[aint] Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, “Psalm LIV”, in T. Scratton, transl., Expositions on the Book of Psalms, […] (A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church anterior to the Division of the East and West; XXX), volumes III (Psalm LIII.–LXXV.), Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Henry Parker; London: F[rancis] and J[ohn] Rivington, →OCLC, paragraph 10, page 23

8. broadlyfigurativelyintransitiveball gamesOf a batter: to bat the ball so that it can be fielded, placing the batter out but allowing one or more runners on base to advance.
9. broadlyfigurativelyintransitivebridgeTo make a bid of a contract which is unlikely to be fulfilled, in the hope that that the player will incur fewer penalty points than the points likely to be gained by opponents in making their contract.
10. broadlyfigurativelyintransitiveChristianityTo celebrate Holy Communion or Mass.

    1 more example

    For what power but God's can make good the promise of tendering the Body and Blood of Christ, as a visible mean^([sic]) to convey His Spirit? And he that goes about to make this change by consecrating the eucharist, must needs be understood to acknowledge this power of God's; but this is not that acknowledgment, which sacrificing importeth, but that, which every act of religion implieth. He that sacrificeth, acknowledging that which he sacrificeth, with all that he hath, to [come from or belong to]^([sic]) God, to testify this acknowledgment, abandoneth that which he sacrificeth to be destroyed in testimony of it.

    1659, Herbert Thorndike, “[An Epilogue to the Tragedy of the Church of England, […].] Chapter V. It Cannot be Proved by the Old Testament that the Eucharist is a Sacrifice. How by the New Testament it may be so Accounted. […].”, in The Theological Works of Herbert Thorndike, […] (Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology; 66), volume IV, Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Henry Parker, published 1852, →OCLC, book III (Of the Laws of the Church), page 113