[f. CONSECRATE ppl. a., or ad. L. consecrāt- ppl. stem of consecrā-re to dedicate, devote as sacred, deify, etc., f. con- + sacrā-re to make sacred, dedicate, f. stem of sacer, sacrum, SACRED. Cf. F. consacrer, in 14th c. also consecrer, Pg. consegrar, Sp. consagrar, It. consacrare, the latter from a late L. *con-sacrāre.]
1. trans. To set apart (a person or thing) as sacred to the Deity; to dedicate solemnly to some sacred or religious purpose, and so give the object itself a character of holiness; to make sacred or holy and so fit for a religious use. Const. to, unto.
b. Particularly applied to the episcopal dedication or hallowing of a church and a churchyard, whereby these acquire the legal status of a ‘consecrated building’ and ‘consecrated ground,’ with the special character and incidents legally attached thereto, in England and some of the colonies. Cf. CONSECRATED, CONSECRATION.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 71. Fabian … ordeyned, that every ȝere, on Schere or Maunde Thursday, the Pope schuld consecrate crisme.
1535. Coverdale, Ex. xxxii. 29. Then sayde Moses: Consecrate youre handes this daie vnto the Lorde.
1555. Eden, Decades, 162. Suche men as he had consecrated to be offered to the goddes.
a. 1600. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., VII. vi. § 2. The custom of the primitive church in consecrating holy virgins and widows unto the service of God and his Church.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. vii. 28. What you have consecrated I have hallowed.
1680. Dryden, Epitaph Sir P. Fairborne, 24. To his lamented loss for times to come His pious widow consecrates this tomb.
1845. S. Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., II. 265. Not … inconsistent with their saying masses for the dead and consecrating salt and water.
b. 1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 768. From that time hetherward, was there never … so holy a Byshop that durst presume the Churche of the same to consecrate.
a. 1634. Coke, 3rd Inst. (1644), 203. Albeit churches or chappels may be built by any of the kings subjects … without licence, yet before the law take knowledge of them to be churches or chappels, the bishop is to consecrate or dedicate the same.
1671. Bp. Cosin’s Will, in C.’s Corr. (Surtees), II. 294. The Chappell att Auckland Castle … by mee latly built and consecrated.
1726. Ayliffe, Parerg., 195. A Bishop ought not to consecrate a Church, which the Patron has built for filthy Gain and Lucre to himself.
1866. J. M. Dale, Clergyman’s Legal Handbk. (ed. 4), viii. 95. All churchyards must be consecrated. Ancient churchyards are presumed to have been consecrated.
2. spec. Used as the proper word for the action whereby the bread and wine receive their sacramental character in the Eucharist.
(Here the notion varies according to the doctrine held as to the nature of the sacrament.)
1553. Tindale, Supper of Lorde, 39. It is manifest that Christ consecrated no bread.
1548. Order of Communion, 8. To prepare, blisse and consecrate so muche as will serue the people.
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 67. To consecrate, is to halow, or to separat to an holy vse, so we grant y’ bread and wine to be consecrated.
1662. Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion. If the consecrated bread or wine be all spent before all have communicated, the Priest is to consecrate more.
1678. Wanley, Wond. Lit. World, V. iii. § 16. 474/1. Zephyrinus … ordained that Wine in the Sacrament should be consecrated in a Vessel of Glass.
1854. Hook, Ch. Dict. (ed. 7), 247. Before we eat and drink this bread and wine which Christ designed to set forth the mystery of his death, to consecrate it and set it apart by a solenn prayer.
1885. Catholic Dict., 311/2. The bread and the wine are consecrated by the words ‘This is my body,’ ‘This is my blood.’
† b. used proleptically of the result.
c. 1500. Doctr. Gd. Servaunts, in 5 Poet. Tracts (Percy Soc.), 3. Syth they consecrate our God omnipotent.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 231 b. How often so euer you consecrate my body and my blode, do it in the remembraunce of me.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech., 205. He consecratis the trew body & blud of Jesus Christ, nocht be the vertew of ony mannis word, but be the vertew and powar of Gods word.
c. absol.
1534. More, On the Passion, Wks. 1308/1. Therfore was it [the Paschall lambe] eaten with vnleauened breade. And so consequentlye Christe dydde consecrate in vnleauened breade.
1885. Catholic Dict., 317/1. The First General Council takes for granted that priests alone can consecrate.
3. spec. Used as the proper word for the ordination and hallowing of persons to certain offices, as that of bishop, king, queen, etc.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 115. He sawe seynt Peter apostel holde in his hond Edward þe sone of Egelrede … and consecrat hym kyng.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., IV. (1520), 32/2. He decreed that … a bysshop sholde be consecrated of thre.
1552. Bk. Com. Prayer. The form of Consecrating of an Archbishop or Bishop.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. iv. 45. Another Hill where the Counts of Holland were wont to be consecrated.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., IV. viii. 115. That if the dean and chapter refuse to elect the person named by the king, or any archbishop or bishop to confirm or consecrate him, they shall fall within the penalties of the statutes of praemurire.
1837. Penny Cycl., VIII. 44/1. Coronation, the act of crowning or consecrating a king.
1885. Catholic Dict., 87/1. The elect is consecrated bishop by imposition of hands, the tradition of staff and ring, the unction with the chrism, the imposition of the book of the Gospels on his shoulders, and other rites.
4. fig.; also refl.
1600. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. i. 93 (Qo.). That you should seal this lawless bloody book … And consecrate commotions bitter edge.
1732. Law, Serious C., vi. (ed. 2), 79. The holiness of Christianity consecrates all states and employments of life unto God.
17[?]. C. Wesley, Hymn, ‘Lord, in the strength of grace,’ i. Myself, my residue of days, I consecrate to Thee.
1878. F. R. Havergal, Hymn. Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
5. transf. To devote or dedicate to some purpose: often associated with 1, as implying devotion to some cherished principle or pursuit.
1555. Eden, Decades, 53. They had desperatly consecrated them selues to death.
1599. Thynne, Animadv., Ded. (1875), 3. I will hereafter consecrate to your lykinge soome better labor of moore momente.
1674. S. Vincent, Gallants Acad., A vj. You will … not censure me for consecrating so idle a Pamphlet to you. Ibid., 38. When your Noblest Gallants consecrate their Hours to their Mistresses.
1805. Foster, Ess., I. iv. 56. A dusty room consecrated with religious solemnity to old coins.
1846. Prescott, Ferd. & Is., I. i. 105. His whole life was consecrated to letters.
b. To appropriate (tithes) to a particular church.
1844. [see CONSECRATION 6].
6. To render sacred; to make an object of veneration or cherished regard; to hallow, sanctify; to sanction [= mod.F. consacrer].
1693. Shadwell, Volunteers, III. i. So glorious a cause as consecraces each sword that’s drawn for it.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. ix. 199. That country which had been consecrated by the footsteps of their Redeemer.
1828. W. Sewell, Oxf. Prize Ess., 45. We have consecrated this prejudice in our institutions and our hearts.
1858. Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch., I. Pref. 7. Writers, whose reputation consecrates their opinions.
1887. Lowell, Democr., 192. Whose memories seem to consecrate the soul from all ignobler companionship.
† 7. To devote or doom (to destruction, etc.). Obs. [A Latinism.]
1589. Cooper, Admon., 163. Saint Paule doth consecrate these to bee Doctrines of Deuilles.
1645. Milton, Colast., Wks. (1851), 360. Must hee bee left like a thing consecrated to calamity, and despair without redemption?
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 240*. The sacrilegious theurgist will consecrate any head to the crows, or perhaps to the jakes.
† 8. To place among the gods; to deify; to apotheosize. Obs. [A Latinism.]
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. vii. § 1. Inventors and authors of new arts … were ever consecrated amongst the gods themselves.
1730–6. Bailey (folio) s.v. Consecration, The emperors … are consecrated after this manner.
