Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To kill (an animal, for instance) as a religious sacrifice.
- transitive verb To kill, especially by fire.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To kill as a sacrificial victim; offer in sacrifice; make a sacrifice of.
- Synonyms See
sacrifice , v.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To sacrifice; to offer in sacrifice; to kill, as a sacrificial victim.
- transitive verb To destroy by fire.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb to kill as a
sacrifice - verb to
destroy , especially by fire
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb offer as a sacrifice by killing or by giving up to destruction
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Historically, the word immolate had been used by Fathers and theologians of the Church to refer to the eucharist as a commemoration of the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.
Reformation Theology 2009
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The same day the commune applauds the deputies of a section, which "in warm terms" denounce before it the tardiness of justice and declare to it that the people will "immolate" the prisoners in their prisons (Moniteur, Nov. 10, 1793, Narrative of Pétion).
The French Revolution - Volume 2 Hippolyte Taine 1860
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'60s much as they do not now ... did want to "immolate" American style, coolness and in point of fact America itself.
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But where did this siege mentality come from, why is it so fervent, how long will it last -- and the biggest question of all: Will the movement self-immolate, or will it keep spreading its scorched-earth rebellion?
Three books on the Tea Party, reviewed by Steven Levingston Post 2010
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But where did this siege mentality come from, why is it so fervent, how long will it last -- and the biggest question of all: Will the movement self-immolate, or will it keep spreading its scorched-earth rebellion?
Three books on the Tea Party, reviewed by Steven Levingston Post 2010
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Just before our arrival the driver decided to pour a gallon of petrol over his head and immolate himself.
The Love Shack, Baby. « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2010
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A pizza oven at a true pizza cooking temp would probably immolate a truck …
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But where did this siege mentality come from, why is it so fervent, how long will it last -- and the biggest question of all: Will the movement self-immolate, or will it keep spreading its scorched-earth rebellion?
Three books on the Tea Party, reviewed by Steven Levingston Post 2010
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Richard Hammond left his computer team behind in London, fiddling with a confusing virtual Earth, to help film genuinely terrifying footage of a scientist climbing the "safe" outer wall to "put some fresh lava in a science flask", like a year-four project, before realising he was about to immolate and running away like a gurl in a white suit, as the world would.
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But he is content to let the children in the city he lords over immolate.
Our Stories 2009
kirinqueen commented on the word immolate
For some reason I always think there should be fire involved with immolation.
January 21, 2009
bilby commented on the word immolate
There can be.
January 21, 2009
chained_bear commented on the word immolate
Maybe because one usually hears the term as "self-immolation" in reference to people who burn themselves...? (Well, that's what I think of, anyway.)
January 21, 2009
sarra commented on the word immolate
Yep.
January 21, 2009
dailyword commented on the word immolate
Spock used this word in an episode of "Star Trek."
September 2, 2012