majesty
/ˈmædʒ.ə.sti/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈædʒəsti] /ˈmædʒ.ə.sti/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈædʒəsti] /ˈma-jə-stē/ (ame, mw)
majesty — noun
1. The grand beauty or dignity of a person, place, or scene that makes people feel
The grand beauty or dignity of a person, place, or scene that makes people feel deep admiration and respect.
At sunrise, Nadia stood quietly before the mountain's majesty.
majesty of a natural scene
The film captures the majesty of the desert after heavy rain.
Visitors fell silent at the majesty of the old cathedral hall.
Even from the ferry, the glacier's majesty was impossible to ignore.
- grandeur
often stresses impressive size or style rather than emotional dignity
- magnificence
suggests rich beauty or splendour, especially in decoration or display
- splendor
focuses on striking beauty and brightness more than quiet dignity
用法筆記
Usually uncountable and common in formal writing, travel descriptions, and speeches. It often appears after 'the' or in the pattern 'the majesty of ...' when the speaker wants to stress awe rather than simple beauty.
常見錯誤
2. A formal title for addressing a monarch directly, or for referring to that ruler
A formal title for addressing a monarch directly, or for referring to that ruler in ceremony and official speech.
The ambassador bowed and said, 'Your Majesty, the treaty is ready.'
direct address: Your Majesty
During the news report, the host referred to the queen as Her Majesty.
Before dinner, Christopher rehearsed how to greet His Majesty politely.
The guard announced that Their Majesties would enter the hall together.
文法句型
Your Majesty
His Majesty
Her Majesty
用法筆記
Almost always capitalized in this sense. Use 'Your Majesty' in direct address, and 'His Majesty' or 'Her Majesty' when speaking about the ruler rather than to the ruler.
常見錯誤
3. In the fixed phrase 'at His Majesty's pleasure' or 'at Her Majesty's pleasure',
In the fixed phrase 'at His Majesty's pleasure' or 'at Her Majesty's pleasure', an order that someone be kept in prison for a period with no set end date.
The old court record says the teenager was detained at His Majesty's pleasure.
fixed legal phrase for an indefinite prison term
Reema learned that the phrase meant a sentence without a fixed release date.
In the history lecture, students discussed children once held at Her Majesty's pleasure.
The documentary explains why courts rarely use 'at His Majesty's pleasure' today.
- indefinite detention
plain modern wording for custody without a fixed release date
- fixed-term sentence
a prison term with a stated end date or length
文法句型
at His Majesty's pleasure
at Her Majesty's pleasure
用法筆記
This is a fixed legal phrase, mostly found in British or historical contexts. It does not mean that the monarch personally enjoys the punishment; it means the prison term is not given a fixed length in the wording of the sentence.
常見錯誤
4. In the fixed phrase 'in His Majesty's custody' or 'in Her Majesty's custody', be
In the fixed phrase 'in His Majesty's custody' or 'in Her Majesty's custody', being in prison or kept by the prison authorities.
The newspaper reported that the suspect remained in His Majesty's custody overnight.
fixed phrase meaning held in prison or detention
Amira's grandfather once worked with boys held in Her Majesty's custody.
The lawyer confirmed that Elias was still in His Majesty's custody after the hearing.
A museum label explains that the phrase simply meant 'in prison' then.
- in prison
plain everyday wording for the same state
- in custody
broader and can also refer to police detention outside prison
- at liberty
free and not being detained
文法句型
in His Majesty's custody
in Her Majesty's custody
用法筆記
Another fixed legal expression, usually seen in official records, news reports about past cases, or historical discussion. Distinguish it from sense 3: sense 3 names the kind of sentence, while this sense describes the person's present state of custody.
常見錯誤
5. The sovereign authority, rank, or dignity that belongs to a king or queen as the
The sovereign authority, rank, or dignity that belongs to a king or queen as the ruler of a state.
The charter tried to limit the majesty of the crown after the revolt.
majesty as royal authority, not beauty
In the ceremony, the crown symbolized the majesty of the throne.
Historians debate how far the king's majesty reached beyond the capital.
The poem praises majesty as the force that binds the kingdom together.
- sovereignty
stresses legal ruling power more than ceremonial dignity
- authority
broader word for power that is not limited to monarchs
- dignity
high status and seriousness, with less focus on ruling power
- subjection
the state of being ruled rather than ruling
用法筆記
Mostly found in historical, political, or literary writing. Distinguish it from sense 1: this sense is about royal authority and status, not the grand beauty of a scene or object.