Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Sabbath
Sab′bath
,Noun.
[OE.
sabat
, sabbat
, F. sabbat
, L. sabbatum
, Gr. σάββατον
, fr. Heb. shabbāth
, fr. shābath
to rest from labor. Cf. Sabbat
.] 1.
A season or day of rest; one day in seven appointed for rest or worship, the observance of which was enjoined upon the Jews in the Decalogue, and has been continued by the Christian church with a transference of the day observed from the last to the first day of the week, which is called also
Lord’s Day
. Remember the
sabbath
day, to keep it holy. Ex. xx. 8.
2.
The seventh year, observed among the Israelites as one of rest and festival.
Lev. xxv. 4.
3.
Fig.: A time of rest or repose; intermission of pain, effort, sorrow, or the like.
Peaceful sleep out the
sabbath
of the tomb. Pope.
Sabbath breaker
, one who violates the law of the Sabbath.
– Sabbath breaking
, the violation of the law of the Sabbath.
– Sabbath-day's journey
, a distance of about a mile, which, under Rabbinical law, the Jews were allowed to travel on the Sabbath.
Sabbath is not strictly synonymous with Sunday. Sabbath denotes the institution; Sunday is the name of the first day of the week. The Sabbath of the Jews is on Saturday, and the Sabbath of most Christians on Sunday. In New England, the first day of the week has been called “the Sabbath,” to mark it as holy time; Sunday is the word more commonly used, at present, in all parts of the United States, as it is in England. “So if we will be the children of our heavenly Father, we must be careful to keep the Christian Sabbath day, which is the Sunday.”
Homilies.
Webster 1828 Edition
Sabbath
SABBATH
,Noun.
1.
The day which God appointed to be observed by the Jews as a day of rest from all secular labor or employments, and to be kept holy and consecrated to his service and worship. This was originally the seventh day of the week, the day on which God rested from the work of creation; and this day is still observed by the Jews and some christians, as the sabbath. But the christian church very early begun and still continue to observe the first day of the week, in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ on that day, by which the work of redemption was completed. Hence it is often called the Lords day. The heathen nations in the north of Europe dedicated this day to the sun, and hence their christian descendants continue to call the day Sunday. But in the United States, christians have to a great extent discarded the heathen name, and adopted the Jewish name sabbath.2.
Intermission of pain or sorrow; time of rest.Peaceful sleep out the sabbath of the tomb.
3.
The sabbatical year among the Israelites. Lev. 25.