Adjacent Words

Anoint definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ANOINT', v.t. [L. ungo.]
1. To pour oil upon; to smear or rub over with oil or unctuous substances; also to spread over, as oil. We say, the man anoints another, or the oil anoints him.
2. To consecrate by unction, or the use of oil.
Thou shalt anoint the altar, and sanctify it. Exodus 29.
3. To smear or daub.
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay. John 9.
4. To prepare, in allusion to the consecrating use of oil.
Anoint the shield. Isaiah 21.
To anoint the head with oil, Psalms 23 seems to signify to communicate the consolations of the Holy Spirit.
The use of oil in consecrations, was of high antiquity. Kings, prophets and priests were set apart or consecrated to their offices by the use of oil. Hence the peculiar application of the term anointed to Jesus Christ.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: choose by or as if by divine intervention; "She was anointed the head of the Christian fundamentalist group"
2: administer an oil or ointment to ; often in a religious ceremony of blessing [syn: anoint, inunct, oil, anele, embrocate]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French enoint, past participle of enoindre, from Latin inunguere, from in- + unguere to smear — more at ointment Date: 14th century 1. to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance 2. a. to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration b. to choose by or as if by divine election; also to designate as if by a ritual anointment <critics anointed the author as the bright new talent> • anointer noun • anointment noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 apply oil or ointment to, esp. as a religious ceremony (e.g. at baptism, or the consecration of a priest or king, or in ministering to the sick). 2 (usu. foll. by with) smear, rub. Derivatives: anointer n. Etymology: ME f. AF anoint (adj.) f. OF enoint past part. of enoindre f. L inungere (as IN-(2), ungere unct- smear with oil)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Anoint A*noint", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Anointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Anointing.] [OF. enoint, p. p. of enoindre, fr. L. inungere; in + ungere, unguere, to smear, anoint. See Ointment, Unguent.] 1. To smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance; also, to spread over, as oil. And fragrant oils the stiffened limbs anoint. --Dryden. He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. --John ix. 6. 2. To apply oil to or to pour oil upon, etc., as a sacred rite, especially for consecration. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his [Aaron's] head and anoint him. --Exod. xxix. 7. Anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. --1 Kings xix. 15. The Lord's Anointed, Christ or the Messiah; also, a Jewish or other king by ``divine right.'' --1 Sam. xxvi. 9.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Anoint A*noint", p. p. Anointed. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(anoints, anointing, anointed) 1. To anoint someone means to put oil or water on a part of their body, usually for religious reasons. He anointed my forehead... The Pope has anointed him as Archbishop. ...the anointed king. VERB: V n, V n as n, V-ed 2. If a person in a position of authority anoints someone, they choose them to do a particular important job. (JOURNALISM) The populist party anointed him as its candidate... Mr. Olsen has always avoided anointing any successor... VERB: V n as n, V n

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The practice of anointing with perfumed oil was common among the Hebrews. (1.) The act of anointing was significant of consecration to a holy or sacred use; hence the anointing of the high priest (Ex. 29:29; Lev. 4:3) and of the sacred vessels (Ex. 30:26). The high priest and the king are thus called "the anointed" (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:20; Ps. 132:10). Anointing a king was equivalent to crowning him (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:4, etc.). Prophets were also anointed (1 Kings 19:16; 1 Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15). The expression, "anoint the shield" (Isa. 21:5), refers to the custom of rubbing oil on the leather of the shield so as to make it supple and fit for use in war.

(2.) Anointing was also an act of hospitality (Luke 7:38, 46). It was the custom of the Jews in like manner to anoint themselves with oil, as a means of refreshing or invigorating their bodies (Deut. 28:40; Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 14:2; Ps. 104:15, etc.). This custom is continued among the Arabians to the present day.

(3.) Oil was used also for medicinal purposes. It was applied to the sick, and also to wounds (Ps. 109:18; Isa. 1:6; Mark 6:13; James 5:14).

(4.) The bodies of the dead were sometimes anointed (Mark 14:8; Luke 23:56).

(5.) The promised Deliverer is twice called the "Anointed" or Messiah (Ps. 2:2; Dan. 9:25, 26), because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost (Isa. 61:1), figuratively styled the "oil of gladness" (Ps. 45:7; Heb. 1:9). Jesus of Nazareth is this anointed One (John 1:41; Acts 9:22; 17:2, 3; 18:5, 28), the Messiah of the Old Testament.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Smear, rub over with oil or unctuous matter. 2. Consecrate by unction.

Moby Thesaurus

administer the Eucharist, beeswax, chair, chrism, confirm, crown, daub, do duty, dope, dose, dress, drug, embrocate, enthrone, glycerolate, grease, grease the wheels, impose, inaugurate, induct, install, instate, invest, lard, lay hands on, lubricate, medicate, minister, officiate, oil, perform a rite, perform service, place, place in office, pomade, put in, salve, slick, slick on, smear, smooth the way, soap the ways, throne, unguent, wax