Adjacent Words

Expiation definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EXPIA'TION, n. [L. expiatio.] The act of atoning for a crime; the act of making satisfaction for an offense,by which the guilt is done away, and the obligation of the offended person to punish the crime is canceled; atonement; satisfaction. Among pagans and Jews, expiation was made chiefly by sacrifices, or washings and purification. Among christians, expiation for the sins of men is usually considered as made only be the obedience and sufferings of Christ.
1. The means by which atonement for crimes is made; atonement; as sacrifices and purification among heathens, and the obedience and death of Christ among christians.
2. Among ancient heathens, an act by which the threats of prodigies were averted.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: compensation for a wrong; "we were unable to get satisfaction from the local store" [syn: atonement, expiation, satisfaction]
2: the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity) [syn: expiation, atonement, propitiation]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 15th century 1. the act of making atonement 2. the means by which atonement is made

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Expiation Ex`pi*a"tion, n. [L. expiatio: cf.F. expiation] 1. The act of making satisfaction or atonement for any crime or fault; the extinguishing of guilt by suffering or penalty. His liberality seemed to have something in it of self-abasement and expiation. --W. Irving. 2. The means by which reparation or atonement for crimes or sins is made; an expiatory sacrifice or offering; an atonement. Those shadowy expiations weak, The blood of bulls and goats. --Milton. 3. An act by which the treats of prodigies were averted among the ancient heathen. [Obs.] --Hayward.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see expiate

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Guilt is said to be expiated when it is visited with punishment falling on a substitute. Expiation is made for our sins when they are punished not in ourselves but in another who consents to stand in our room. It is that by which reconciliation is effected. Sin is thus said to be "covered" by vicarious satisfaction.

The cover or lid of the ark is termed in the LXX. hilasterion, that which covered or shut out the claims and demands of the law against the sins of God's people, whereby he became "propitious" to them.

The idea of vicarious expiation runs through the whole Old Testament system of sacrifices. (See PROPITIATION.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

eks-pi-a'-shun:

This word represents no Hebrew or Greek word not rendered also by "atonement." In Nu 8:7 it is employed in the Revised Version (British and American) to translate chaTath and in De 32:43, kipper. This version also employs "expiate" in the margin of several passages, eg. Ps 65:3; 79:9. Always its use in English Versions of the Bible is somewhat more narrow and specific than "atonement" and has especial reference to specific uncleanness or sin.

It will be sufficient to refer to ATONEMENT; SACRIFICE; PROPITIATION.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Atonement, satisfaction, reparation. 2. Expiatory offering, penitential act.

Moby Thesaurus

amends, atonement, balancing, commutation, compensation, composition, compromise, counteraction, counterbalancing, expiatory offering, indemnification, indemnity, lex talionis, making amends, making good, making right, making up, offsetting, peace offering, piaculum, propitiation, quittance, reclamation, recompense, rectification, redemption, redress, reparation, repayment, restitution, retaliation, revenge, satisfaction, squaring, substitution