Church

church, n. a house set apart for Christian worship: the whole body of Christians: the clergy: any particular sect or denomination of Christians: any body profe ing a common creed, not nece arily Christian.— v.t. to perform with any one the giving of thanks in church, more esp. of a woman after childbirth, or of a newly-married couple on first appearing at church after marriage.— ns. Church′-ale , a strong ale brewed for a church festival: the festival at which the ale was drunk; Church′-bench ( Shak. ), a seat in the porch of a church; Church′-court , a court for deciding ecclesiastical causes, a presbytery, synod, or general a embly; Church′-gō′ing , the act of going to church, esp. habitually; Church′ing , the first appearance of a woman in church after childbirth; Church′ism , adherence to the forms or principles of some church.— adj. Church′le , not belonging to a church: ( Tennyson ) without church approval.— ns. Church′man , a clergyman or ecclesiastic: a member or upholder of the established church; Church′-rate , an a e ment for the sustentation of the fabric, ., of the parish church; Church′-serv′ice , the form of religious service followed in a church, order of public worship, a book containing such; Church′-text , a thin and tall form of black-letter print; Church war′den , an officer who represents the interests of a parish or church: a long clay-pipe; Church′way , the public way or road that leads to the church; Church′woman , a female member of the Anglican Church.— adj. Church′y , obtrusively devoted to the church.— n. Church′yard , the burial-ground round a church.— Church history , the description of the course of development through which the church as a whole, as well as its special departments and various institutions, has pa ed, from the time of its foundation down to our own day; Church militant , the church on earth in its struggle against evil; Church triumphant , the portion of the church which has overcome and left this world.— Visible and Invisible church (see Visible ). [A.S. circe (Scot, kirk ; Ger. kirche )—Gr. kyriakon , belonging to the Lord— Kyrios , the Lord.]