Sac"ra*ment (?), n. [L.
sacramentum an oath, a sacred thing, a mystery, a sacrament,
fr. sacrare to declare as sacred, sacer sacred: cf. F.
sacrement. See Sacred.] 1. The oath
of allegiance taken by Roman soldiers; hence, a sacred ceremony used
to impress an obligation; a solemn oath-taking; an oath.
[Obs.]
I'll take the sacrament on't.
Shak.
2. The pledge or token of an oath or solemn
covenant; a sacred thing; a mystery. [Obs.]
God sometimes sent a light of fire, and pillar of a
cloud . . . and the sacrament of a rainbow, to guide his people
through their portion of sorrows.
Jer. Taylor.
3. (Theol.) One of the solemn religious
ordinances enjoined by Christ, the head of the Christian church, to be
observed by his followers; hence, specifically, the eucharist; the
Lord's Supper.
Syn. -- Sacrament, Eucharist. -- Protestants
apply the term sacrament to baptism and the Lord's Supper,
especially the latter. The R. Cath. and Greek churches have five other
sacraments, viz., confirmation, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and
extreme unction. As sacrament denotes an oath or vow, the word
has been applied by way of emphasis to the Lord's Supper, where the
most sacred vows are renewed by the Christian in commemorating the
death of his Redeemer. Eucharist denotes the giving of
thanks; and this term also has been applied to the same ordinance,
as expressing the grateful remembrance of Christ's sufferings and
death. "Some receive the sacrament as a means to procure great
graces and blessings; others as an eucharist and an office of
thanksgiving for what they have received." Jer. Taylor.
Sac"ra*ment (?), v. t. To bind by
an oath. [Obs.] Laud.
Sac"ra*ment (?), n. [L.
sacramentum an oath, a sacred thing, a mystery, a sacrament,
fr. sacrare to declare as sacred, sacer sacred: cf. F.
sacrement. See Sacred.] 1. The oath
of allegiance taken by Roman soldiers; hence, a sacred ceremony used
to impress an obligation; a solemn oath-taking; an oath.
[Obs.]
I'll take the sacrament on't.
Shak.
2. The pledge or token of an oath or solemn
covenant; a sacred thing; a mystery. [Obs.]
God sometimes sent a light of fire, and pillar of a
cloud . . . and the sacrament of a rainbow, to guide his people
through their portion of sorrows.
Jer. Taylor.
3. (Theol.) One of the solemn religious
ordinances enjoined by Christ, the head of the Christian church, to be
observed by his followers; hence, specifically, the eucharist; the
Lord's Supper.
Syn. -- Sacrament, Eucharist. -- Protestants
apply the term sacrament to baptism and the Lord's Supper,
especially the latter. The R. Cath. and Greek churches have five other
sacraments, viz., confirmation, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and
extreme unction. As sacrament denotes an oath or vow, the word
has been applied by way of emphasis to the Lord's Supper, where the
most sacred vows are renewed by the Christian in commemorating the
death of his Redeemer. Eucharist denotes the giving of
thanks; and this term also has been applied to the same ordinance,
as expressing the grateful remembrance of Christ's sufferings and
death. "Some receive the sacrament as a means to procure great
graces and blessings; others as an eucharist and an office of
thanksgiving for what they have received." Jer. Taylor.
Sac"ra*ment (?), v. t. To bind by
an oath. [Obs.] Laud.
