apostasy, tapostacy, a post a sie

[In Ger. & Fr. a post a sie; Sp., Port., Ital., & Lat. a post asia; Gr. ἀποστασία ( apos tasia ), a later form for ἀπόστασις ( a post as is ) = a standing away from hence, defection, revolt; ἀφίστημι ( aphistemi ) = to put away (in pa ive, to stand away): ἀπό ( apo ) = from, and ἵστημι ( histemi ) = to make to stand. Or ἀπό ( αμο ) = from, and στάσις ( stasis ) = a placing, setting; from ἵστημι (histemi).] A. Ord. Lang. A defection from real or imagined allegiance. Specially 1. Direct rebellion against God or His authority. "The affable archangel had forewarn'd Adam, by dire example, to beware Apostasy , by what befell in heaven To those apostates."- Milton : P. L. , bk. vii. 2. The abandonment of a religious faith which one has previously held, or a church with which one has been previously connected. "The canon law defines apostasy to be a wilful departure from that state of faith which any person has profe ed himself to hold in the Christian church." Ayliffe : Parergon . 3. The abandonment of a political party with which one has hitherto acted. "The Lord Advocate was that James Stewart who had been so often a Whig and so often a Jacobite that it is difficult to keep an account of his apostasies .". Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., chap. xxii. B. Technically : * Med . It is sometimes used as the rendering of the Greek term a post as is (q.v.).