sacrifice
Originally, the killing of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deityOriginally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity.
Recorded US: Dvortygirl, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
» I can't let you sacrifice yourself.
Ich kann nicht zulassen, dass du dich opferst. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
9 senses(countable, uncountable)Originally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity.
жертвоприноше́ниеžertvoprinošénije
жертвоприне́сенняžertvoprynésennja
the act of killing (an animal or person) in order to propitiate a deity
(countable, uncountable)A human being or an animal, or a physical object or immaterial thing (see etymology 1 sense 1.3), offered to a deity.
Opfer
же́ртваžértva, поже́ртвованиеpožértvovanije
же́ртваžértva, офі́раofíra, поже́ртвуванняpožértvuvannja
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)The offering of devotion, penitence, prayer, thanksgiving, etc., to a deity.
(countable, specifically, uncountable)Jesus Christ's voluntary offering of himself to God the Father to be crucified as atonement for the sins of humankind.
(broadly, countable, specifically, uncountable)The rite of Holy Communion or the Mass, regarded as (Protestantism) an offering of thanksgiving to God for Christ's crucifixion, or (Roman Catholicism) a perpetual re-presentation of Christ's sacrificial offering.
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)The destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else regarded as more urgent or valuable; also, the thing destroyed or surrendered for this purpose.
the sacrifice of one’s spare time in order to volunteer
поже́ртвованиеpožértvovanije
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)In full sacrifice bid: a bid of a contract which is unlikely to be fulfilled, that a player makes in the hope that they will incur fewer penalty points than the points likely to be gained by opponents in making their contract.
(countable, dated, figuratively, slang, uncountable)A monetary loss incurred by selling something at less than its value; also, the thing thus sold.
a loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)An act of intentionally allowing one's piece to be captured by the opponent in order to improve one's position in the game.
Examples
314 sentencesI can't let you sacrifice yourself.
deIch kann nicht zulassen, dass du dich opferst. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
Tom is willing to sacrifice everything for you.
Tom was willing to sacrifice everything for you.
ruТом был готов пожертвовать всем ради тебя. — odexed
I'm willing to make that sacrifice.
Tom made the ultimate sacrifice.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English sacrifice (“act of offering a life or object to a deity; the life or oFrom Middle English sacrifice (“act of offering a life or object to a deity; the life or object so offered”), from Anglo-Norman sacrefiz, and Old French sacrifice, sacrifise (modern French sacrifice), from Latin sacrificium (“something offered to a deity, sacrifice”), from sacrum (“sacrifice, sacrificial rite”) + faciō (“to do, to make”) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns). The noun sacrum is the nominalized neuter of the adjective sacer (“devoted to a deity for sacrifice; holy, sacred”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂k- (“ceremony, ritual; to make sacred”), and the verb faciō is ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to do; to place, put”). Related Latin formations include sacrificus (“of or pertaining to sacrifice, sacrificial”) and sacrificō (“to make a sacrifice”). Displaced native Old English blōt and hūsl.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: sacrifices| Singular | sacrifice |
|---|---|
| Plural | sacrifices |
regular
Synonyms
4 synonyms- the act of killing (an animal or person) in order to propitiate a deity:ritual killing
- the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.:forfeitforfeiture
Word family
17 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.