Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A chair occupied, as by a monarch or prelate, as a mark of rank or distinction on state or ceremonial occasions, often situated on a dais and sometimes having a canopy and ornate decoration.
  • noun One who occupies a throne.
  • noun The power, dignity, or rank of one who occupies a throne.
  • noun Christianity The third of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology.
  • transitive & intransitive verb To install in or occupy a throne.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To set on a throne; enthrone.
  • To set as on a throne; set in an exalted position; exalt.
  • To sit on a throne; sit in state as a sovereign.
  • noun A chair of state; a seat occupied by a sovereign, bishop, or other exalted personage on occasions of state.
  • noun Sovereign power and dignity: also, the wielder of that power; also, episcopal authority or rank: often with the definite article.
  • noun plural The third order of angels in the first triad of the celestial hierarchy. See celestial hierarchy, under hierarchy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A chair of state, commonly a royal seat, but sometimes the seat of a prince, bishop, or other high dignitary.
  • noun Hence, sovereign power and dignity; also, the one who occupies a throne, or is invested with sovereign authority; an exalted or dignified personage.
  • noun A high order of angels in the celestial hierarchy; -- a meaning given by the schoolmen.
  • intransitive verb To be in, or sit upon, a throne; to be placed as if upon a throne.
  • transitive verb To place on a royal seat; to enthrone.
  • transitive verb To place in an elevated position; to give sovereignty or dominion to; to exalt.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The ornate seat a king or queen sits on for formal occasions, usually placed on a raised dais in the throne room.
  • noun The formal position of a sovereign.
  • noun colloquial The lavatory or toilet.
  • noun Biblical tradition The third highest order of angel in Christian angelology, ranked above dominions and below cherubim.
  • noun music A type of stool used by drummers.
  • noun figuratively The leadership.
  • verb transitive, archaic To place on a royal seat; to enthrone.
  • verb transitive, archaic To place in an elevated position; to give sovereignty or dominion to; to exalt.
  • verb intransitive, archaic To be in, or sit upon, a throne; to be placed as if upon a throne.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the chair of state for a monarch, bishop, etc.
  • verb put a monarch on the throne
  • noun a plumbing fixture for defecation and urination
  • verb sit on the throne as a ruler
  • noun the position and power of an exalted person (a sovereign or bishop) who is entitled to sit in a chair of state on ceremonial occasions

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, alteration of trone, from Old French, from Latin thronus, from Greek thronos; see dher- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Middle English trone, from Old French trone, from Latin thronus, from Ancient Greek θρόνος (thronos, "chair, throne"). Early Modern English spelling modified to conform with Latin and Greek etymology.

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Examples

  • Today the throne is among 90 objects from the emperor's garden -- buildings, furniture, murals, paintings, jade and cloisonné -- in an exhibit that opened in September at PEM in Salem.

    J. Michael Welton: A Tale of Two Architects J. Michael Welton 2010

  • Today the throne is among 90 objects from the emperor's garden -- buildings, furniture, murals, paintings, jade and cloisonné -- in an exhibit that opened in September at PEM in Salem.

    J. Michael Welton: A Tale of Two Architects J. Michael Welton 2010

  • If anyone saw Bill Richardson and James Carville on Larry King last night, well, Bill Richardson said it best when he said that the Clinton's think the throne is theirs and will do anything to take it back because they think they are entitled.

    Obama picks up Oregon superdelegate 2008

  • One morning, about a week after we had finished up our painting job, Gilberto had something new for us to docleaning out the receptacle bin under what he called the throne room.

    Dark Dude Oscar Hijuelos 2008

  • One morning, about a week after we had finished up our painting job, Gilberto had something new for us to docleaning out the receptacle bin under what he called the throne room.

    Dark Dude Oscar Hijuelos 2008

  • One morning, about a week after we had finished up our painting job, Gilberto had something new for us to docleaning out the receptacle bin under what he called the throne room.

    Dark Dude Oscar Hijuelos 2008

  • It is the indestructible kingdom which he calls the throne of David on which the Lord sat.

    NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works 1895

  • Behind the throne is a place for the noblemens sonns minors to be, to give them opportunity to heare and instruct them in the Laws of England.

    Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary 1888

  • Usually the throne is hereditary, but while the succession in some States is in the male line, in others it is in the female, a sister's son being the heir; and there are instances in which the chiefs have elected a sultan or rajah.

    The Golden Chersonese and the Way Thither Isabella Lucy 1883

  • "Saunders!" cried the hearty voice of Captain Truck, who had taken possession of what he called his throne in the cabin.

    Homeward Bound or, the Chase James Fenimore Cooper 1820

Comments

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  • sanctuary, heaven, sublimity

    July 23, 2009

  • “A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.�?

    -Napoleon Bonaparte

    July 23, 2009

  • Thrones also occupy the third level in the hierarchy of angels, below the Seraphim and Cherubim. Depending on who you believe, they look like, well, thrones. That is, unless they appear as a "beryl-coloured wheel-within-a-wheel, their rims covered with hundreds of eyes".

    July 23, 2009

  • "Since then there had been no farther communication between them, and he had built up within himself a kind of sanctuary in which she throned among his secret thoughts and longings."

    - Edith Wharton, 'The Age of Innocence'.

    September 19, 2009

  • Also see see.

    June 13, 2013