Adjacent Words

Zeal definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ZEAL, n. [Gr., L.] Passionate ardor in the pursuit of any thing. In general, zeal is an eagerness of desire to accomplish or obtain some object, and it may be manifested either in favor of any person or thing, or in opposition to it, and in a good or bad cause.
Zeal, the blind conductor of the will.
They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Romans 10.
A zeal for liberty is sometimes an eagerness to subvert, with little care what shall be established.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause); "they were imbued with a revolutionary ardor"; "he felt a kind of religious zeal" [syn: ardor, ardour, elan, zeal]
2: excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end; "he had an absolute zeal for litigation"
3: prompt willingness; "readiness to continue discussions"; "they showed no eagerness to spread the gospel"; "they disliked his zeal in demonstrating his superiority"; "he tried to explain his forwardness in battle" [syn: readiness, eagerness, zeal, forwardness]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English zele, from Late Latin zelus, from Greek z?los Date: 14th century eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something ; fervor Synonyms: see passion

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 earnestness or fervour in advancing a cause or rendering service. 2 hearty and persistent endeavour. Etymology: ME zele f. eccl.L zelus f. Gk zelos

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Zeal Zeal (z[=e]l), n. [F. z[`e]le; cf. Pg. & It. zelo, Sp. zelo, celo; from L. zelus, Gr. ?, probably akin to ? to boil. Cf. Yeast, Jealous.] 1. Passionate ardor in the pursuit of anything; eagerness in favor of a person or cause; ardent and active interest; engagedness; enthusiasm; fervor. ``Ambition varnished o'er with zeal.'' --Milton. ``Zeal, the blind conductor of the will.'' --Dryden. ``Zeal's never-dying fire.'' --Keble. I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. --Rom. x. 2. A zeal for liberty is sometimes an eagerness to subvert with little care what shall be established. --Johnson. 2. A zealot. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Zeal Zeal, v. i. To be zealous. [Obs. & R.] --Bacon.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Zeal is great enthusiasm, especially in connection with work, religion, or politics. ...his zeal for teaching... Mr Lopez approached his task with a religious zeal.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

an earnest temper; may be enlightened (Num. 25:11-13; 2 Cor. 7:11; 9:2), or ignorant and misdirected (Rom. 10:2; Phil. 3:6). As a Christian grace, it must be grounded on right principles and directed to right ends (Gal. 4:18). It is sometimes ascribed to God (2 Kings 19:31; Isa. 9:7; 37:32; Ezek. 5:13).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Ardor, eagerness, engagedness, fervor, fervency, warmth, glow, feeling, energy, earnestness, devotedness, devotion, intentness, intensity, heartiness, cordiality, enthusiasm, passion, soul, spirit.

Moby Thesaurus

abandon, acquiescence, agitation, agreeability, agreeableness, alacrity, all-overs, amenability, angst, anxiety, anxiety hysteria, anxiety neurosis, anxious bench, anxious concern, anxious seat, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, ardency, ardor, avidity, bibliolatry, bluster, brawl, broil, brouhaha, cacophony, calenture, cankerworm of care, care, chaos, charismatic gift, charismatic movement, charismatic renewal, cheerful consent, commitment, committedness, commotion, compliance, concern, concernment, consent, cooperativeness, dedication, devotedness, devotion, devoutness, disquiet, disquietude, distress, disturbance, docility, dread, eagerness, earnestness, ebullition, ecstasy, embroilment, energy, enthusiasm, excitement, faith, faithfulness, fanaticism, favorable disposition, favorableness, fear, ferment, fervency, fervidness, fervor, fidelity, fierceness, fire, flap, fomentation, foofaraw, foreboding, forebodingness, forwardness, frenzy, fume, furor, furore, fury, fuss, gameness, gift of tongues, glossolalia, goodwill, gusto, heart, heartiness, heat, heatedness, hubbub, hurrah, impassionedness, inquietude, intensity, intentness, keenness, liveliness, loyalty, malaise, misgiving, nervous strain, nervous tension, nervousness, overanxiety, overdevoutness, overpiousness, overreligiousness, overrighteousness, overzealousness, pandemonium, passion, passionateness, pentecostalism, perturbation, pins and needles, pliability, pliancy, promptness, pucker, racket, rage, readiness, receptive mood, receptiveness, receptivity, relish, resolution, responsiveness, revival, revivalism, right mood, row, ruckus, rumpus, sanctimony, savor, seriousness, sincerity, solicitude, soul, spirit, stew, storminess, strain, suspense, tempestuousness, tension, tractability, trouble, tumult, tumultuousness, turbulence, turmoil, uneasiness, ungrudgingness, unloathness, unquietness, unreluctance, uproar, upset, urgency, vehemence, verve, vexation, warmth, warmth of feeling, wildness, willing ear, willing heart, willingness, zealotism, zealotry, zealousness, zest