Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Ecclesiastical The Eucharist given to a dying person or one in danger of death.
- noun A supply of provisions for a journey.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Provision for a journey.
- noun In Rom, antiq., an allowance for the expenses of the journey, made to officers who were sent into the provinces to exercise any office or perform any service.
- noun The eucharist: in old usage generally, in modern usage exclusively, employed to designate it as given to a person in danger of death.
- noun A portable altar: so called because often taken to the bedside of the dying.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Rom. Antiq.) An allowance for traveling expenses made to those who were sent into the provinces to exercise any office or perform any service.
- noun Provisions for a journey.
- noun (R. C. Ch.) The communion, or eucharist, when given to persons in danger of death.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The
Eucharist , when given to a person who isdying or one indanger ofdeath . - noun Provisions, money, or other supplies given to someone setting off on a long journey (often figurative).
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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The viaticum is the tramp-money that may be claimed from his guild by the travelling workman.
A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France William Duthie
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Subsequently the substantive "viaticum" figuratively meant the provision for the journey of life and finally by metaphor the provision for the passage out of this world into the next.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 15: Tournely-Zwirner 1840-1916 1913
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In the course of time "viaticum" was applied to the
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 15: Tournely-Zwirner 1840-1916 1913
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Orléans, in his note on this canon says that "viaticum" here means only the reconciliation and absolution granted at the hour of death to public penitents who had not performed the prescribed canonical penance, yet Macri (Hierolexicon) declares that it means simply
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 15: Tournely-Zwirner 1840-1916 1913
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The father is bearing the "viaticum" to some victim of the pestilence: one must not appear masked as a devil or a deviless in the presence of the Bon-Die.
Two Years in the French West Indies Lafcadio Hearn 1877
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Before I had time afforded me even to guess at the reason of this sudden halt, an old man emerged from the cabin, which I saw now was a road-side ale-house, and presented Peter with a bucket of meal and water, a species of "viaticum" that he evidently was accustomed to, at this place, whether bestrode by a priest or an ambassador.
The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — Volume 1 Charles James Lever 1839
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Before I had time afforded me even to guess at the reason of this sudden halt, an old man emerged from the cabin, which I saw now was a road-side ale-house, and presented Peter with a bucket of meal and water, a species of "viaticum" that he evidently was accustomed to, at this place, whether bestrode by a priest or an ambassador.
The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — Complete Charles James Lever 1839
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"I read Harmonium in '29 or' 30, and did not find it the kind of viaticum I look for in poetry.
orbis quintus 2009
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Another critique launched by Chavez is that none of the people responsible for works or missions talks about Socialism or the Bolivarian Revolution or rooting out vices ... such as a case of the manager of a Socialist factory, living in Caracas and (Chavez hinted) covering hefty viaticum and other perks, apart from the Bs. F 10,000 he earns a month.
Venezuela's Chavez slams poor government planning, discipline, failure to apologize 2009
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Cardinal, accompanied by clergymen carrying cross and lanterns, adminstering viaticum eucharist to assembled group of plague victims in the streets of Rome
minerva commented on the word viaticum
Reconciliation with my friends I do not expect; nor pardon from them; at least, till in extremity, and as a viaticum.
Clarissa Harlowe to Mrs. Norton, Clarissa by Samuel Richardson
January 4, 2008
jaime_d commented on the word viaticum
from Thomas Carlyle's The French Revolution
March 6, 2011