Adjacent Words

Godfather definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GOD'F`ATHER, n. The man who is sponsor for a child at baptism, who promises to answer for his future conduct and that he shall follow a life of piety, by this means laying himself under an indispensable obligation to instruct the child and watch over his conduct. This practice is of high antiquity in the christian church, and was probably intended to prevent children from being brought up in idolatry, in case the parents died before the children had arrived to years of discretion. In the catholic church the number of godfathers and godmothers is reduced to two; in the church of England, to three; but formerly the number was not limited.
GOD'F`ATHER, v.t. To act as godfather; to take under one's fostering care.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: any man who serves as a sponsor for a child at baptism
2: someone having a relation analogous to that of a male sponsor to his godchild

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Date: before 12th century 1. a man who sponsors a person at baptism 2. one having a relation to someone or something analogous to that of a male sponsor to his godchild: as a. one that founds, supports, or inspires <made him the godfather of a whole generation of rebels — Times Literary Supplement> b. the leader of an organized crime syndicate II. transitive verb Date: 1780 to act as godfather to

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a male godparent. 2 esp. US a person directing an illegal organization, esp. the Mafia. Phrases and idioms: my godfathers! euphem. my God!

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Godfather God"fa`ther, v. t. To act as godfather to; to take under one's fostering care. [R.] --Burke.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Godfather God"fa`ther, n. [AS. godf[ae]der. Cf. Gossip.] A man who becomes sponsor for a child at baptism, and makes himself a surety for its Christian training and instruction. There shall be for every Male-child to be baptized, when they can be had, two Godfathers and one Godmother; and for every Female, one Godfather and two Godmothers; and Parents shall be admitted as Sponsors, if it is desired. --Book of Common Prayer (Prot. Episc. Ch., U. S. ).

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(godfathers) 1. A godfather is a male godparent. N-COUNT 2. A powerful man who is at the head of a criminal organization is sometimes referred to as a godfather. ...the feared godfather of the Mafia. N-COUNT 3. You can refer to a man who started or developed something such as a style of music as the godfather of that thing. (JOURNALISM) ...the godfather of soul, James Brown. N-COUNT: N of n

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

He who pays the reckoning, or answers for the rest of the company: as, Will you stand godfather, and we will take care of the brat; i.e. repay you another time. Jurymen are also called godfathers, because they name the crime the prisoner before them has been guilty of, whether felony, petit larceny, etc.