consecrate
consecrate — adjective
- consecratepositive
- more consecratecomparative
- most consecratesuperlative
1. describes a place, building, or object that has been formally declared holy thro
describes a place, building, or object that has been formally declared holy through a religious ceremony and is therefore used for worship rather than ordinary purposes
The priest led the group into the consecrated space at the heart of the old cathedral.
collocation: consecrated space / consecrated ground
Villagers brought flowers to the consecrated shrine that stood beside the river.
collocation: consecrated shrine / consecrated altar
Only the bishop may place items upon the consecrated altar during the ceremony.
The cemetery includes a small consecrated area where the first settlers were buried.
文法句型
consecrated + noun
consecrate — verb
- consecratepresent simple I / you / we / they
- consecrateshe / she / it
- consecratedpast simple
- consecrating-ing form
1. to officially declare a place, building, or object to be holy through a special
to officially declare a place, building, or object to be holy through a special religious ceremony, so that it becomes fit for worship and is no longer used for everyday purposes
The local church was consecrated in 1872 and has held services every Sunday since then.
passive: be consecrated in [year]
Archbishop Kwame travelled to the island to consecrate the new chapel built by the fishing community.
A special oil is used when the priest consecrates the altar during the dedication service.
The golden chalice was consecrated by the pope himself more than two hundred years ago.
Before the monastery could open, the abbot had to consecrate the main prayer hall and the dormitory.
文法句型
consecrate + noun (place/object)
be consecrated as/to/by [agent]
用法筆記
The subject is typically a religious leader (priest, bishop, archbishop, abbot). The object is a physical place or object. Frequently used in the passive voice when the focus is on the place rather than the person performing the ceremony.
常見錯誤
2. to formally make someone a bishop through a special religious service
to formally make someone a bishop through a special religious service
Three archbishops gathered at the cathedral to consecrate Sister Elena as the new bishop of the region.
pattern: consecrate + person + as + title
Bishop Olu was consecrated in Rome in 2019 and now leads a diocese of over two hundred parishes.
passive: was consecrated + in [place]
The church requires that a candidate be at least thirty-five years old before being consecrated as a bishop.
After the ceremony the newly consecrated bishop waved to the crowd gathered outside the cathedral.
文法句型
consecrate + person + as + [title]
consecrate + person + [title]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (MAKE HOLY): sense 2 takes a person as object, NOT a place or object. The person becomes a bishop, not a holy object. This sense is used almost exclusively within Christian contexts.
常見錯誤
3. to commit your life, energy, or resources completely to a particular purpose, ca
to commit your life, energy, or resources completely to a particular purpose, cause, or mission, with great seriousness and dedication — for example, consecrating oneself to the care of the sick, or consecrating one's fortune to the founding of a school
After her recovery, Dr. Amara Okafor consecrated her medical career to improving rural healthcare in northern Nigeria.
pattern: consecrate + possession + to + purpose
The poet consecrated every page of his final manuscript to the memory of his late wife.
Brother Thomas consecrated himself to a life of silence and prayer inside the mountain monastery.
The foundation consecrated nearly all of its yearly earnings to building libraries in underserved towns.
Each volunteer consecrated a full year of service to teaching English in rural Thai villages.
文法句型
consecrate + oneself/reflexive + to + noun/gerund
be consecrated to + noun
用法筆記
This sense is more figurative than sense 1 (MAKE HOLY) and does not require a religious ceremony. The object is typically an abstract resource (time, life, career, fortune, energy) or a reflexive pronoun (oneself). The preposition 'to' introduces the purpose.