Adjacent Words

Passion definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PAS'SION, n. [L. passio, from patior, to suffer.]
1. The impression or effect of an external agent upon a body; that which is suffered or received.
A body at rest affords us no idea of any active power to move, and when set in motion, it is rather a passion than an action in it.
2. Susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
The differences of moldable and not moldable, etc., and many other passions of matter, are plebeian notions. [Little used.]
3. Suffering; emphatically, the last suffering of the Savior.
To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs. Acts 1.
4. The feeling of the mind, or the sensible effect of impression; excitement, perturbation or agitation of mind; as desire, fear, hope,joy, grief,love, hatred. The eloquence of the orator is employed to move the passions.
5. Violent agitation or excitement of mind, particularly such as is occasioned by an offense, injury or insult; hence, violent anger.
6. Zeal; ardor; vehement desire.
When statesmen are ruled by faction and interest, they can have no passion for the glory of their country.
7. Love.
He owned his passion for Amestris.
8. Eager desire; as a violent passion for fine clothes.
PAS'SION, v.i. To be extremely agitated. [Not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a strong feeling or emotion [syn: passion, passionateness]
2: the trait of being intensely emotional [syn: heat, warmth, passion]
3: something that is desired intensely; "his rage for fame destroyed him" [syn: rage, passion]
4: an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action [syn: mania, passion, cacoethes]
5: a feeling of strong sexual desire
6: any object of warm affection or devotion; "the theater was her first love"; "he has a passion for cock fighting"; [syn: love, passion]
7: the suffering of Jesus at the Crucifixion [syn: Passion, Passion of Christ]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin passion-, passio suffering, being acted upon, from Latin pati to suffer — more at patient Date: 13th century 1. often capitalized a. the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death b. an oratorio based on a gospel narrative of the Passion 2. obsolete suffering 3. the state or capacity of being acted on by external agents or forces 4. a. (1) emotion <his ruling passion is greed> (2) plural the emotions as distinguished from reason b. intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction c. an outbreak of anger 5. a. ardent affection ; love b. a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept c. sexual desire d. an object of desire or deep interest • passionless adjective Synonyms: passion, fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, zeal mean intense emotion compelling action. passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable <was a slave to his passions>. fervor implies a warm and steady emotion <read the poem aloud with great fervor>. ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived <the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded>. enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity <never showed much enthusiasm for sports>. zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause <preaches with fanatical zeal>. Synonym: see in addition feeling.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 strong barely controllable emotion. 2 an outburst of anger (flew into a passion). 3 intense sexual love. 4 a strong enthusiasm (has a passion for football). b an object arousing this. 5 (the Passion) a Relig. the suffering of Christ during his last days. b a narrative of this from the Gospels. c a musical setting of any of these narratives. Phrases and idioms: passion-flower any climbing plant of the genus Passiflora, with a flower that was supposed to suggest the instruments of the Crucifixion. passion-fruit the edible fruit of some species of passion-flower, esp. Passiflora edulis: also called GRANADILLA. passion-play a miracle play representing Christ's Passion. Passion Sunday the fifth Sunday in Lent. Passion Week 1 the week between Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday. 2 = Holy Week. Derivatives: passionless adj. Etymology: ME f. OF f. LL passio -onis f. L pati pass- suffer

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Passion Pas"sion, n. [F., fr. L. passio, fr. pati, passus, to suffer. See Patient.] 1. A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion); specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the cross. ``The passions of this time.'' --Wyclif (Rom. viii. 18). To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs. --Acts i. 3. 2. The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; -- opposed to action. A body at rest affords us no idea of any active power to move, and, when set is motion, it is rather a passion than an action in it. --Locke. 3. Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents. [R.] Moldable and not moldable, scissible and not scissible, and many other passions of matter. --Bacon. 4. The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear, etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill. ``A passion fond even to idolatry.'' --Macaulay. ``Her passion is to seek roses.'' --Lady M. W. Montagu. We also are men of like passions with you. --Acts xiv. 15. The nature of the human mind can not be sufficiently understood, without considering the affections and passions, or those modifications or actions of the mind consequent upon the apprehension of certain objects or events in which the mind generally conceives good or evil. --Hutcheson. The term passion, and its adverb passionately, often express a very strong predilection for any pursuit, or object of taste -- a kind of enthusiastic fondness for anything. --Cogan. The bravery of his grief did put me Into a towering passion. --Shak. The ruling passion, be it what it will, The ruling passion conquers reason still. --Pope. Who walked in every path of human life, Felt every passion. --Akenside. When statesmen are ruled by faction and interest, they can have no passion for the glory of their country. --Addison. 5. Disorder of the mind; madness. [Obs.] --Shak. 6. Passion week. See Passion week, below. --R. of Gl. Passion flower (Bot.), any flower or plant of the genus Passiflora; -- so named from a fancied resemblance of parts of the flower to the instruments of our Savior's crucifixion. Note: The flowers are showy, and the fruit is sometimes highly esteemed (see Granadilla, and Maypop). The roots and leaves are generally more or less noxious, and are used in medicine. The plants are mostly tendril climbers, and are commonest in the warmer parts of America, though a few species are Asiatic or Australian. Passion music (Mus.), originally, music set to the gospel narrative of the passion of our Lord; after the Reformation, a kind of oratorio, with narrative, chorals, airs, and choruses, having for its theme the passion and crucifixion of Christ. Passion play, a mystery play, in which the scenes connected with the passion of our Savior are represented dramatically. Passion Sunday (Eccl.), the fifth Sunday in Lent, or the second before Easter. Passion Week, the last week but one in Lent, or the second week preceding Easter. ``The name of Passion week is frequently, but improperly, applied to Holy Week.'' --Shipley. Syn: Passion, Feeling, Emotion. Usage: When any feeling or emotion completely masters the mind, we call it a passion; as, a passion for music, dress, etc.; especially is anger (when thus extreme) called passion. The mind, in such cases, is considered as having lost its self-control, and become the passive instrument of the feeling in question.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Passion Pas"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Passioned; p. pr & vb. n. Passioning.] To give a passionate character to. [R.] --Keats.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Passion Pas"sion, v. i. To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated. [Obs.] ``Dumbly she passions, frantically she doteth.'' --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(passions) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. Passion is strong sexual feelings towards someone. ...my passion for a dark-haired, slender boy named James. ...the expression of love and passion. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 2. Passion is a very strong feeling about something or a strong belief in something. He spoke with great passion. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 3. If you have a passion for something, you have a very strong interest in it and like it very much. She had a passion for gardening... N-COUNT: usu with supp

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Only once found, in Acts 1:3, meaning suffering, referring to the sufferings of our Lord.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Suffering (specifically that of Christ by crucifixion). 2. Emotion, ardor, fervor, zeal, rapture, transport, excitement, impulse, glow, strong feeling. 3. Zeal, ardor, vehement desire. 4. Pathos, warmth of feeling, tender emotion. 5. Anger, resentment, wrath, indignation, fury, rage, vehemence, excitement. 6. Love, affection, attachment, fondness, devotion, adoration. 7. Object of passion, absorbing pursuit, rage.

Moby Thesaurus

Alecto, Amor, Christian love, Eros, Megaera, Negro spiritual, Nemesis, Platonic love, Tisiphone, abandon, ache, aching, admiration, adoration, affect, affection, affectivity, agape, agitation, agony, amorousness, amour, andromania, animation, anthem, aphrodisia, appetence, appetency, appetite, appetition, ardency, ardor, aspiring, attachment, avidity, avidness, beloved, biological urge, blow, bluster, bodily appetite, bodily love, brawl, broil, brotherly love, brouhaha, bug, burning rage, cacophony, calenture, cantata, canticle, caritas, carnal desire, cathexis, chaos, charity, choice, chorale, church music, clawing, command, commitment, committedness, commotion, compulsion, conation, conatus, concern, concernment, concupiscence, conjugal love, convulsion, coveting, cramp, craving, craze, crazy fancy, cruciation, crucifixion, crush, curiosity, cut, decision, dedication, delirium, desideration, desire, determination, devotedness, devotion, devoutness, discretion, disposition, distress, disturbance, dolor, doxology, drive, eagerness, earnestness, ebullition, ecstasy, embroilment, emotion, emotional charge, emotional shade, enthusiasm, eromania, eroticism, eroticomaniac, erotism, erotomania, eruption, excitement, experience, faith, faithful love, faithfulness, fanaticism, fancy, fantasy, fascination, feeling, feeling tone, ferment, fervency, fervidness, fervor, feverishness, fidelity, fieriness, fire, fire and fury, fit, flame, flap, fleshly lust, fomentation, fondness, foofaraw, foreboding, free choice, free love, free will, free-lovism, frenzy, fume, furious rage, furor, furor uterinus, furore, fury, fuss, glow, goatishness, gospel, gospel music, grief, gust, gusto, gut reaction, gynecomania, heart, heartiness, heartthrob, heat, heatedness, hell, hell upon earth, hero, hero worship, heroine, holocaust, hope, horme, horniness, horror, hot blood, hot pants, hubbub, hurrah, hurt, hymn, hymn-tune, hymnody, hymnology, hysteria, idol, idolatry, idolism, idolization, impassionedness, impression, inclination, indecency, infantile sexuality, infatuation, injury, intellectual curiosity, intensity, intention, intentness, interest, intoxication, introit, itch, keenness, laceration, lancination, lasciviousness, lesion, libidinousness, libido, lickerishness, like, likes, liking, liveliness, longing, love, lovemaking, loyalty, lust, lust for learning, lustfulness, lyricism, madness, mania, manic-depressive psychosis, married love, martyrdom, mass, matter of interest, mind, misery, motet, nasty blow, need, nightmare, nymphomania, objective, obsession, offertory, offertory sentence, oratorio, orgasm, orgy, outbreak, outburst, paean, pain, pandemonium, pang, panting, paroxysm, partiality, pash, passionateness, passions, persecution, physical love, pleasure, pleasure principle, polymorphous perversity, popular regard, popularity, predilection, presentiment, profound sense, prosodion, prurience, pruriency, psalm, psalmody, purgatory, rack, racket, rage, rapture, ravishment, reaction, recessional, regard, relish, requiem, requiem mass, resolution, response, row, ruckus, rumpus, sacred music, satyriasis, satyrism, savor, seizure, sensation, sense, sensuality, sensuousness, sentiment, seriousness, sex, sexual desire, sexual longing, sexual love, sexual passion, shine, shock, sincerity, sore, sore spot, soul, spasm, special interest, spirit, spiritedness, spiritual, spiritual love, storm, storminess, stress, stress of life, stroke, suffering, taste, tearing passion, tempest, tempestuousness, tender feeling, tender passion, tender spot, the Erinyes, the Eumenides, the Furies, thirst for knowledge, throes, torment, torture, towering rage, transport, truelove, tumult, tumultuousness, turbulence, turmoil, undercurrent, uproar, upset, urge, uxoriousness, vehemence, velleity, venereal appetite, verve, vigor, violence, vivaciousness, vivacity, volition, want, wanting, warmth, warmth of feeling, weakness, whirlwind, white spiritual, wildness, will, will and pleasure, will power, wish, wish fulfillment, worship, wound, wrench, yearning, yen, zeal, zealotry, zealousness, zest, zestfulness