worship

plural worships · alternative obsolete wurship

1. uncountableusuallyThe devotion accorded to a deity or to a sacred object.

   Polytheistic theology and worship had to go underground.

   Synonyms: praise

2. especiallyuncountableusuallyCatholicismThe adoration (or latria) owed to God alone, as greater than the hyperdulia that is given to Saint Mary only and the veneration (or dulia) accorded to all other Roman Catholic saints.
3. metonymicallyuncountableusuallyThe religious ceremonies that express this devotion.

   The worſhip of God is an eminent part of Religion; and Prayer, which is often in Scripture expreſſed by ſeeking God, and calling upon his Name, is a chief part of Religious Worſhip.

   1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], 8th edition, London: […] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, […]; J. Round […], and J[acob] Tonson] […], published 1720, →OCLC, page 2

4. broadlyuncountableusuallyVoluntary, utter submission; voluntary, utter deference.

   Synonyms: adoration, reverence, idolatry

5. alsobroadlyuncountableusuallyArdent love.
6. uncountableusuallyAn object of worship.

   In attitude and aspect formed to be / At once the artist's worship and despair!

   a. 1883 (date written; first published 1883 January), Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Monologue”, in Michael Angelo: A Dramatic Poem, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], published 1884, →OCLC, part first, page 21

7. UKuncountableusuallyUsed as a title or term of address for various officials, including magistrates.

   “I beg your worship’s pardon,” said Mr. Bumble, incredulous of his having heard aright,—“did your worship speak to me?”

   1837 March, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “Relates How Oliver Twist Was Very Near Getting a Place, Which Would Not Have Been a Sinecure”, in Oliver Twist; […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], published 1838, →OCLC, page 48

   1 more example

   'Your Worships, I have a submission to put before the court. As Your Worships are aware, it is the duty of the court under Section thirty-nine of the Children and Young Persons Act to protect the identity of minors who are victims of offences […]

   1999, Val McDermid, A Place of Execution, London: HarperCollins, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 209

8. obsoleteuncountableusuallyHonour; respect; civil deference.

   And many ſtrange aduentures to bee fond, / Of which great worth and worſhip may be wonne; […]

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 8, page 412

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   But when thou art bidden, goe and sit downe in the lowest roume, that when he that bade thee commeth, hee may say vnto thee, Friend, goe vp higher: then shalt thou haue worship in the presence of them that sit at meate with thee.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 14:10

9. obsoleteuncountableusuallyThe condition of being worthy; honour, distinction.

   Then he forth on his iourney did proceede, / To ſeeke aduentures, which mote him befall, / And win him worſhp through his warlike deed, […]

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 4

   1 more example

   I will be on horsbak said the knyght / thenne was Arthur wrothe and dressid his sheld toward hym with his swerd drawen / whan the knyght sawe that / he a lyghte / for hym thought no worship to haue a knyght at suche auaille he to be on horsbak and he on foot and so he alyght & dressid his sheld vnto Arthur

   1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xxiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book I (in Middle English)

10. slanguncountableusuallyentertainmentThe fact of an artist's music heavily drawing influence from some other artist's work in a way that appears too obvious or unapologetic; a piece of music that does this.

    In that time, McLachlan’s music has developed from adolescent Kate Bush worship to mature roots-driven folk (like the hits “Building a Mystery” and “Sweet Surrender”) and ballads (“Witness,” “I Love You”) that border on hymnody.

    1998 April 30, Chris Mundy, “Interview: Sarah McLachlan”, in Rolling Stone, New York, N.Y.: Penske Media Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2023

    5 more examples

    During his 15-year recording career, first with Galaxie 500 and now with Luna, Dean Wareham has shown all the signs of incurable Velvet Underground worship. The predilection for churning out ironic but always melodic rhythm-guitar-based tunes; the deadpan, almost-bored vocals: Why, it's enough to send you to the cover of the third Velvet Underground album, the one with Lou Reed and company sitting on a sofa, to see if Wareham's head is peeking out from behind it.

    2003 August 18, Michael Little, “Luna at Black Cat: Skipping to Their Lou”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2023

    Of course, it's as studied as the current crop of girl-group zealots such as Best Coast, but we're all for Beach Boys worship, even if we do wish, just once, a band would form in honour of Sunflower/Surf's Up/Holland/Carl [Wilson] and the Passions-era BBs, when they were sort of post-hippie baroque.

    2010 June 22, Paul Lester, “Magic Kids (No 813)”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Aug 2022

    Rather, Lenny's new material covered a lot of ground, from the folk-to-hard rock build of "Fields of Joy," to the technology-accented church hymns of "Stand by My Woman," to the unapologetic Jimi Hendrix worship of "Stop Draggin' Around" to the stylish orchestrated Philly soul of "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over."

    2016 April 2, Eduardo Rivadavia, “How Lenny Kravitz Combined Classic Rock and Soul on ‘Mama Said’”, in Ultimate Classic Rock, archived from the original on 23 Jun 2023

    Of the songs with actual vocals, it’s much more derivative than anything else they would do. A couple songs are pretty close to My Bloody Valentine worship (which suits me fine). There’s very little of the glacial bowed-guitar and neo-classicism that made them one of the most celebrated bands in the world.

    2020 October 17, Nathaniel FitzGerald, “The Worst Debuts From Great Bands”, in A Year of Vinyl, archived from the original on 23 Mar 2023

    The pieces are so removed from Godspeed You! Black Emperor worship or [William] Basinski-style concrete constructions that listeners will question Munkus’ intentions – and that’s a shame, because the material’s ambitions soar above the structure of the disc.

    2021 November 22, Justin Vellucci, “Daniel Munkus: The Edge of the High Trace”, in Spectrum Culture, archived from the original on 25 Dec 2021

present singular third person worships · US participle present worshiping · UK participle present worshipping · US participle past worshiped · US past worshiped · UK participle past worshipped · UK past worshipped · alternative obsolete wurship

1. transitiveTo reverence (a deity, etc.) with supreme respect and veneration; to perform religious exercises in honour of.

   When all our Fathers worſhip't Stocks and Stones, […]

   1673, John Milton, “[Sonnet] XV. On the late Massacher in Piemont.”, in Poems, &c. upon Several Occasions, London: […] Tho[mas] Dring […], →OCLC, page 58

   1 more example

   […] well ſaid yfaith neighbour Verges, God's a good man, and two men ride of a horſe, one muſt ride behinde, an honeſt ſoule yfaith ſir, by my troth he is, as euer broke bread, but God is to bee worſhipt, all men are not alike, alas good neighbour.

   1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], page 113, column 2

   Synonyms: adore, praise, adore, exalt, glorify, praise

2. transitiveTo honour with extravagant love and extreme submission, as a lover; to adore; to idolize.

   With bended knees I daily worship her, / Yet she consumes her own Idolater.

   c. 1639, Thomas Carew, The Poems and Masque of Thomas Carew, London: Reeves and Turner, published 1893, →OCLC, A Cruel Mistress, page 6

   2 more examples

   “[…] And she would sit in the car and pretend to hold the wheel. All the household worshipped her! Even the police came to understand that. Ah, the beautiful little one!”

   1934, Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express, New York: Pocket Books, published 1960, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 236

   The social media accounts of Hu Chenfeng, an auto repairman turned influencer whose videos have highlighted poverty and inequality in China, have been removed from several platforms. Propaganda officials in Zhejiang have accused him of “worshiping the West.”

   2025 October 7, Lily Kuo, “China Punishes ‘Excessively Pessimistic’ Social Media Users”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Oct 2025

3. intransitiveTo participate in religious ceremonies.

   We worship at the church down the road.

4. To touch, fondle, or kiss in an intensely sensual way.

   The kiss is heady and passionate. I show him how far we are from being over by worshipping him with my lips.

   2018, Lauren Connolly, You Only Need One

   2 more examples

   He moves lower to worship my breasts with his mouth, his teeth raking lightly over my nipple with the perfect amount of friction to build the pleasure coiling tight within me.

   2023, Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame

   Telling Kieran exactly how to please me, Kieran listening to every word and taking his time, making sure everything felt amazing, worshipping me with his hands and his mouth.

   2024, Sarah Chamberlain, The Slowest Burn

   Synonyms: canoodle, grope, canoodle, caress, chuckle, coax, cosset, dally

plural Worships

1. UKA form of address of a mayor and other dignitaries
2. CanadaarchaicA form of address of a mayor.

1. A surname.