Adjacent Words

Idol definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

I'DOL, n. [L. idolum; Gr. form or to see.]
1. An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship; a pagan deity. Idols are usually statues or images, carved out of wood or stone, or formed of metals, particularly silver or gold.
The gods of the nations are idols. Psalms 96.
2. An image.
Nor ever idol seemed so much alive.
3. A person loved and honored to adoration. The prince was the idol of the people.
4. Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5.
An idol is any thing which usurps the place of God in the hearts of his rational creatures.
5. A representation. [Not in use.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a material effigy that is worshipped; "thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image"; "money was his god" [syn: idol, graven image, god]
2: someone who is adored blindly and excessively [syn: idol, matinee idol]
3: an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept [syn: paragon, idol, perfection, beau ideal]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French idle, from Late Latin idolum, from Greek eid?lon image, idol; akin to Greek eidos form — more at idyll Date: 13th century 1. a representation or symbol of an object of worship; broadly a false god 2. a. a likeness of something b. obsolete pretender, impostor 3. a form or appearance visible but without substance <an enchanted phantom, a lifeless idol — P. B. Shelley> 4. an object of extreme devotion <a movie idol>; also ideal 2 5. a false conception ; fallacy

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 an image of a deity etc. used as an object of worship. 2 Bibl. a false god. 3 a person or thing that is the object of excessive or supreme adulation (cinema idol). 4 archaic a phantom. Etymology: ME f. OF idole f. L idolum f. Gk eidolon phantom f. eidos form

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Idol I"dol, n. [OE. idole, F. idole, L. idolum, fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? that which is seen, the form, shape, figure, fr. ? to see. See Wit, and cf. Eidolon.] 1. An image or representation of anything. [Obs.] Do her adore with sacred reverence, As th' idol of her maker's great magnificence. --Spenser. 2. An image of a divinity; a representation or symbol of a deity or any other being or thing, made or used as an object of worship; a similitude of a false god. That they should not worship devils, and idols of gold. --Rev. ix. 20. 3. That on which the affections are strongly (often excessively) set; an object of passionate devotion; a person or thing greatly loved or adored. The soldier's god and people's idol. --Denham. 4. A false notion or conception; a fallacy. --Bacon. The idols of preconceived opinion. --Coleridge.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(idols) 1. If you refer to someone such as a film, pop, or sports star as an idol, you mean that they are greatly admired or loved by their fans. A great cheer went up from the crowd as they caught sight of their idol... N-COUNT: usu with supp 2. An idol is a statue or other object that is worshipped by people who believe that it is a god. N-COUNT 3. If you refer to someone as a fallen idol, you mean that they have lost people's respect and admiration because of something bad that they have done. PHRASE: N inflects

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(1.) Heb. aven, "nothingness;" "vanity" (Isa. 66:3; 41:29; Deut. 32:21; 1 Kings 16:13; Ps. 31:6; Jer. 8:19, etc.).

(2.) 'Elil, "a thing of naught" (Ps. 97:7; Isa. 19:3); a word of contempt, used of the gods of Noph (Ezek. 30:13).

(3.) 'Emah, "terror," in allusion to the hideous form of idols (Jer. 50:38).

(4.) Miphletzeth, "a fright;" "horror" (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chr. 15:16).

(5.) Bosheth, "shame;" "shameful thing" (Jer. 11:13; Hos. 9:10); as characterizing the obscenity of the worship of Baal.

(6.) Gillulim, also a word of contempt, "dung;" "refuse" (Ezek. 16:36; 20:8; Deut. 29:17, marg.).

(7.) Shikkuts, "filth;" "impurity" (Ezek. 37:23; Nah. 3:6).

(8.) Semel, "likeness;" "a carved image" (Deut. 4:16).

(9.) Tselem, "a shadow" (Dan. 3:1; 1 Sam. 6:5), as distinguished from the "likeness," or the exact counterpart.

(10.) Temunah, "similitude" (Deut. 4:12-19). Here Moses forbids the several forms of Gentile idolatry.

(11.) 'Atsab, "a figure;" from the root "to fashion," "to labour;" denoting that idols are the result of man's labour (Isa. 48:5; Ps. 139:24, "wicked way;" literally, as some translate, "way of an idol").

(12.) Tsir, "a form;" "shape" (Isa. 45:16).

(13.) Matztzebah, a "statue" set up (Jer. 43:13); a memorial stone like that erected by Jacob (Gen. 28:18; 31:45; 35:14, 20), by Joshua (4:9), and by Samuel (1 Sam. 7:12). It is the name given to the statues of Baal (2 Kings 3:2; 10:27).

(14.) Hammanim, "sun-images." Hamman is a synonym of Baal, the sun-god of the Phoenicians (2 Chr. 34:4, 7; 14:3, 5; Isa. 17:8).

(15.) Maskith, "device" (Lev. 26:1; Num. 33:52). In Lev. 26:1, the words "image of stone" (A.V.) denote "a stone or cippus with the image of an idol, as Baal, Astarte, etc." In Ezek. 8:12, "chambers of imagery" (maskith), are "chambers of which the walls are painted with the figures of idols;" comp. ver. 10, 11.

(16.) Pesel, "a graven" or "carved image" (Isa. 44:10-20). It denotes also a figure cast in metal (Deut. 7:25; 27:15; Isa. 40:19; 44:10).

(17.) Massekah, "a molten image" (Deut. 9:12; Judg. 17:3, 4).

(18.) Teraphim, pl., "images," family gods (penates) worshipped by Abram's kindred (Josh. 24:14). Put by Michal in David's bed (Judg. 17:5; 18:14, 17, 18, 20; 1 Sam. 19:13).

"Nothing can be more instructive and significant than this multiplicity and variety of words designating the instruments and inventions of idolatry."

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Pagan, deity, false god. 2. Falsity, illusion, delusion, deluding assumption. 3. Favorite, pet, darling.

Moby Thesaurus

Baal, Juggernaut, big name, celebrity, companion, constellation, copy, cosset, cynosure, darling, dea, dead ringer, deity, demigod, demigoddess, deus, deva, devi, devil-god, divinity, double, duplicate, effigy, exact likeness, false god, favorite, fellow, fetish, figure, folk hero, fondling, galaxy, god, goddess, golden calf, graven image, great man, heathen god, hero, heroine, icon, ikon, image, immortal, important person, jewel, joss, likeness, lion, living image, living picture, luminaries, luminary, man of mark, master spirit, match, mate, matinee idol, miniature, minion, mirroring, model, name, notability, notable, pagan deity, person of note, personage, pet, phoenix, photograph, picture, pleiad, pop hero, popular hero, popular idol, portrait, preference, public figure, reflection, resemblance, rubbing, semblance, shadow, similitude, simulacrum, social lion, somebody, spit and image, spitting image, spoiled child, star, superstar, symbol, the shining ones, trace, tracing, twin, very image, very picture, worthy