Sacrifice

(sak're-fiz.) [From L. sacrificium.] A solemn act of religious worship consisting in the dedication or offering up something, animate or inanimate, on an altar, by the hands of the priest; either as an expre ion of gratitude to the Deity for some signal mercy, or as an atonement for sin, or to acknowledge our dependence on him, and conciliate his favor. The Jews had two sorts of S., taking the word in its most extensive signification. The first were offerings of tithes, first-fruits, cakes, wine, oil, honey, ., and the last, offerings of slaughtered animals. Their principal S. consisted of bullocks, sheep, and goats; but doves and turtles were accepted from those who were not able to offer the others; and whatever the S. might be, it must be perfect and without blemish. The rites of sacrificing were various, all of which are very minutely described in the Pent a teuch. Sacrificios, (sak-re-fe'the-öz,) an island situate near the coast of Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean, in N. Lat. 15° 40′, W. Lon. 98° 6'. [s. 786]