Adjacent Words

Christen definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CHRISTEN, v.t.
1. To baptize, or rather to baptize and name; to initiate into the visible church of Christ by the application of water; applied to persons. And as a name is given to the person in the ceremony, hence,
2. To name; to denominate; applied to things.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: administer baptism to; "The parents had the child baptized" [syn: baptize, baptise, christen]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (christened; christening) Etymology: Middle English cristnen, from Old English cristnian, from cristen Christian, from Latin christianus Date: before 12th century 1. a. baptize 1 b. to name at baptism 2. to name or dedicate (as a ship) by a ceremony suggestive of baptism 3. name 1 4. to use for the first time

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 give a Christian name to at baptism as a sign of admission to a Christian Church. 2 give a name to anything, esp. formally or with a ceremony. 3 colloq. use for the first time. Derivatives: christener n. christening n. Etymology: OE cristnian make Christian

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Christen Chris"ten, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Christened; p. pr. & vb. n. Christening.] [AS. cristnian to make a Christian, fr. cristen a Christian.] 1. To baptize and give a Christian name to. 2. To give a name; to denominate. ``Christen the thing what you will.'' --Bp. Burnet. 3. To Christianize. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor. 4. To use for the first time. [Colloq.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(christens, christening, christened) 1. When a baby is christened, he or she is given a name during the Christian ceremony of baptism. Compare baptize. She was born in March and christened in June... She was christened Susan. VERB: usu passive, be V-ed, be V-ed n-proper 2. You say that you christen a person, place, or object a particular name if you choose a name for them and start calling them by that name. (INFORMAL) The pair were christened 'The Women in Black' after they both wore black dresses at a party. VERB: V n n 3. You say that you christen something new when you use it for the first time, especially if you do something special to mark the occasion. (INFORMAL) To christen the new hall, a number of great orchestras have been invited to play. VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Baptize. 2. Denominate, name, term, designate, style, call, dub, entitle, title.

Moby Thesaurus

anoint, asperge, asperse, baptize, bring up, broach, call, define, denominate, designate, dip, dub, entitle, establish, float, found, identify, immerse, inaugurate, induct, initiate, install, institute, introduce, label, launch, lift up, name, nickname, nominate, raise, ring in, set agoing, set on foot, set up, specify, sprinkle, start going, start up, style, tag, term, title, turn on, usher in