pas|sion

pas|sion
pas|sion «PASH uhn», noun.
1. a very strong feeling; emotion: »

Hate and fear are passions. The opera star sang with great passion.

 SYNONYM(S): See syn. under feeling. (Cf. ↑feeling)
2. Often, passions. strong feelings or emotions as an obstacle to civilized conduct or rational behavior: »

Passions have their root in that which is crippled, blemished, or insecure within us (Harper's).

3. a fit or mood of some emotion, especially violent anger; rage: »

He flew into a passion, shouting insults at us. She broke into a passion of tears (Dickens).

4. a) a very strong love or desire between a man and a woman: »

I love thee so, that…Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide (Shakespeare).

 b) a person who is the object of such love or desire.
5. Figurative. a) a very strong liking: »

Her passion for caraway seeds, for instance, was uncontrollable (Lytton Strachey).

 b) a thing for which a strong liking is felt: »

Music is her passion.

6. Archaic. suffering.
7. Often, the Passion. a) the sufferings of Jesus on the Cross or after the Last Supper. b) the story of these sufferings in the Bible. c) a musical setting of this story: »

Bach's Passion According to Saint Matthew.

d) a representation in art of the sufferings of Christ.
8. a) the fact or condition of being affected by external force: »

The word passion signifies the receiving any action, in a large philosophical sense (Isaac Watts).

 b) an effect produced by action from without.
╂[< Old French passiun, and passion, learned borrowing from Latin passiō, -ōnis < patī to suffer]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • pas|sion|al — «PASH uh nuhl», adjective, noun. –adj. of or having to do with passion or the passions: »passional crimes. –n. a book containing accounts of the sufferings (passions) of saints and martyrs, for reading on their festival days …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas|sion|ar|y — «PASH uh NEHR ee», noun, plural ar|ies. = passional. (Cf. ↑passional) …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas´sion|ate|ness — pas|sion|ate «PASH uh niht», adjective. 1. having or showing strong feelings: »The fathers of our country were passionate believers in freedom. 2. easily moved to strong feelings, especially to violent anger: »My brother was passionate, and had… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas´sion|ate|ly — pas|sion|ate «PASH uh niht», adjective. 1. having or showing strong feelings: »The fathers of our country were passionate believers in freedom. 2. easily moved to strong feelings, especially to violent anger: »My brother was passionate, and had… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas|sion|ate — «PASH uh niht», adjective. 1. having or showing strong feelings: »The fathers of our country were passionate believers in freedom. 2. easily moved to strong feelings, especially to violent anger: »My brother was passionate, and had often beaten… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas´sion|less|ness — pas|sion|less «PASH uhn lihs», adjective. without passion; calm. –pas´sion|less|ly, adverb. –pas´sion|less|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas´sion|less|ly — pas|sion|less «PASH uhn lihs», adjective. without passion; calm. –pas´sion|less|ly, adverb. –pas´sion|less|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas|sion|less — «PASH uhn lihs», adjective. without passion; calm. –pas´sion|less|ly, adverb. –pas´sion|less|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas|sion|flow|er — «PASH uhn FLOW uhr», noun. 1. any one of a genus of mostly American climbing plants with flowers supposed to suggest the crown of thorns, the nails, and the Cross of Christ s crucifixion. Passionflowers are grown for their edible, yellowish or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pas|sion|fruit — «PASH uhn FROOT», noun. the fruit of a passionflower, when edible, such as the maypop …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”