PROFANE • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Profane

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/proʊfˈeɪn/ Listen

adjective

Profane adj.

Not sacred or holy; not possessing peculiar sanctity; unconsecrated; hence, relating to matters other than sacred; secular; opposed to sacred, religious, or inspired; as, a profane place. "Profane authors." "The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine."

Unclean; impure; polluted; unholy. "Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things."

Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; irreverent; impious. Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a profane person, word, oath, or tongue.

Synonyms: Secular; temporal; worldly; unsanctified; unhallowed; unholy; irreligious; irreverent; ungodly; wicked; godless; impious. See Impious.

verb

Profane v. t. (past & past part. profaned; pres. part. profaning)

To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Scriptures, or the ordinance of God. "The priests in the temple profane the sabbath."

To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile. "So idly to profane the precious time."

See images of 'Profane'

Etymology of 'Profane'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Profane" Quotes from Famous Books

... of my system I shall not amuse the Reader with doubtful and solitary extracts; but collect all that can be obtained upon the subject, and shew the universal scope of writers. I shall endeavour particularly to compare sacred history with profane, and prove the general assent of mankind to the wonderful events recorded. My purpose is not to lay science in ruins; but instead of desolating to build up, and to rectify what time has impaired: to divest mythology of every foreign ...

— A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume I. • Jacob Bryant

... But his mild memory of distaste was as nothing to the disgust that possessed Sissy. In her ecstasy she had unwittingly lifted a corner of the lid that she kept tight over her emotions. Logically, she hated the unimpressed and profane ...

— The Madigans • Miriam Michelson

... their labours or cowardly in their training, but to live as those who died daily, and (as I said before) to be earnest in keeping their souls from foul thoughts, and to emulate the saints, and not to draw near the Meletian schismatics, for "ye know their evil and profane determinations, nor to have any communion with the Arians, for their impiety also is manifest to all. Neither if ye shall see the magistrates patronising them, be troubled, for their phantasy shall have an end, and is mortal and only for a little while. Keep yourselves therefore rather ...

— The Hermits • Charles Kingsley

... with happy mean, Public and private, sacred and profane, The wandering joys of lawless love supprest, With equal rites the wedded couple blest, Plann'd future towns, and instituted laws, ...

— An Essay on the Lyric Poetry of the Ancients • John Ogilvie

... rebuking one another, as Divine Providence ministreth occasion. In many Families almost no knowledge nor worship of GOD to be found: yea, there are among the Ministers who have strenghtened the hearts and hands of the profane more then of the godly, and have not taken heed to the ministrie which they have received of ...

— The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland

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