profane
part of speech
adjective (profane); verb (profane, profanes, profaned, profaning) — formal
meaning for a pupil
1) Profane language is rude, offensive or shows no respect for religion; swearing. tree →
2) (formal) Profane means not religious, ordinary and everyday, as opposed to sacred. tree →
3) (formal) To profane a holy place or thing is to treat it with disrespect. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the Torah to profane means to make something holy ordinary, by treating it without the respect that its holiness requires. In the Prophets and Psalms it is used for breaking God's laws, His Sabbaths and His covenant, which God says He will never profane. Interpretation: Priests must keep holy and avoid profaning themselves, their family line, or the holy gifts. The tradition sees the separation of holy and ordinary as central to Jewish life. Ezekiel's charge that Sabbaths were profaned is read as one reason for the exile. In the primary lessons: In school rules «profane language» means swearing, which is not allowed. In religious education «sacred and profane» means holy and ordinary. In stories it shows a character's bad manners or disrespect. It belongs to the formal register.
examples
- He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. (Torah LEV.21.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- And he shall not profane his seed among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctify him. (Torah LEV.21.15, JPS 1917) tree →
- And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they set apart unto the LORD; (Torah LEV.22.15, JPS 1917) tree →
- If they profane My statutes, and keep not My commandments; (Writings PSA.89.32, JPS 1917) tree →
- Thou hast despised My holy things, and hast profaned My sabbaths. (Prophets EZK.22.8, JPS 1917) tree →
- My covenant will I not profane, nor alter that which is gone out of My lips. (Writings PSA.89.35, JPS 1917) tree →
- (formal) Profane language is not permitted in class. tree →
- The film was rated for its profane words. tree →
- He was told off for a profane joke. tree →
- (formal) The invaders profaned the temple. tree →
- Sacred music and profane music were both played. tree →
- His profane shouting upset the neighbours. tree →
- (formal) Profane remarks will result in a detention. tree →
- The poem mixes the holy and the profane. tree →
note
Formal word. Noun: profanity. Pronounced pro-FAYN. Do not confuse with «profound» (deep).
In the corpora
- And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, so that thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
- He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
- And he shall not profane his seed among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctify him.
- And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they set apart unto the LORD;
- Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and I have given Jacob to condemnation, and Israel to reviling.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «profane» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.