holyho‧ly /ˈhəʊli $ ˈhoʊ-/ ●●● W3 adjective (comparative holier, superlative holiest) 
the holy city of Varanasi► see thesaurus at religious2very religious: a holy man3holy cow/mackerel etc spoken used to express feelings such as surprise or fear4a holy terror informal someone, especially a child, who causes problems for other people → take (holy) orders at order1(18)THESAURUSholy [usually before noun] connected with God and religion, and therefore treated in a special way – used especially in the following phrases: · the Holy Bible· the holy city of Mecca· a Hindu holy man· They believe they are fighting a holy war.· The priest puts some holy water on the child’s head.sacred connected with God and religion, and therefore treated in a special way – used especially in the following phrases: · This place is sacred to both Jews and Muslims.· In India, cows are considered sacred.· the Hindu sacred texts· sacred music· a sacred ritualdivine relating to or coming from God: · the divine right of kings· divine justice· divine providence· Human love should be a reflection of divine love, and so not be selfish or cruel.spiritual relating to the soul, the spirit, and religion, and not with physical things or ordinary human activities: · Your spiritual life is far more important than any material things you could acquire.· the spiritual leader of the Tibetanshallowed a hallowed place is considered to be very holy: · He was buried in hallowed ground.· The Golden Temple is Sikhism’s most hallowed shrine.blessed made holy by God – used especially about saints: · the blessed Virgin Mary
WORD ORIGINholy
Origin:
Old English haligEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- In Islam, only the Qur'an is considered holy.
- Jerusalem is a holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
- the holy month of Ramadam
- The Koran is the Islamic holy book.
- The priest sprinkled each member of the congregation with holy water.
- Both sides are hinting about innovative arrangements for Jerusalem that satisfy their desire to claim the holy city as their capital.
- He offered to cook, and because of his holy nature, was acceptable to all.
- In consequence, they threw the holy man into the valley below.
- Like Noah in his ark, they had traveled across the vast oceanic flood to carry out their holy mission.
- The new clergy houses were of a quite different, selfless and holy Gothic architecture.
- There are innumerable holy cards and representations of her.
- They know that it is a sacred and holy name.
THESAURUS
[usually before noun] connected with God and religion, and therefore treated in a special way – used especially in the following phrases: · the Holy Bible· the holy city of Mecca· a Hindu holy man· They believe they are fighting a holy war.· The priest puts some holy water on the child’s head.
connected with God and religion, and therefore treated in a special way – used especially in the following phrases: · This place is sacred to both Jews and Muslims.· In India, cows are considered sacred.· the Hindu sacred texts· sacred music· a sacred ritual
relating to or coming from God: · the divine right of kings· divine justice· divine providence· Human love should be a reflection of divine love, and so not be selfish or cruel.
relating to the soul, the spirit, and religion, and not with physical things or ordinary human activities: · Your spiritual life is far more important than any material things you could acquire.· the spiritual leader of the Tibetans
a hallowed place is considered to be very holy: · He was buried in hallowed ground.· The Golden Temple is Sikhism’s most hallowed shrine.
made holy by God – used especially about saints: · the blessed Virgin Mary
Longman Language Activatorrelating to religion · Religious education is compulsory in all English schools.· All acts of religious worship were banned.· The tutor discussed her own religious beliefs openly with the students.· Record companies feared the album might cause offence to people on religious grounds.· The walls were decorated with religious symbols.· a religious festival
connected with God and religion, and therefore treated in a special way, or thought to have special qualities or powers: · Jerusalem is a holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.· In Islam, only the Qur'an is considered holy.· the holy month of Ramadan· The priest sprinkled each member of the congregation with holy water.
connected with the soul, the spirit, and religion, and not with physical things or ordinary human activities: · She came seeking spiritual guidance.· the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people· Just as the emotional needs of the mentally disabled are overlooked, so too are their spiritual needs.· The last sacrament represents the final step in Christ's spiritual journey.
very holy and therefore treated with great respect: · a choir specialising in sacred music· the miraculous power of sacred relicsconsider something sacred/regard something as sacred: · The Japanese regard Mount Fuji as a sacred mountain.· Certain animals were considered sacred by the Aztecs.· The olive tree was regarded as sacred to the goddess Athena.
connected with or coming from God: · He offered a brief prayer for divine guidance.· The death of a child is commonly seen by members of the tribe as divine punishment.
involving or run by people or a particular religion - use this especially about schools and official religious groups: · The vast majority of people in the UK are opposed to more faith-based schools, saying they would be socially divisive.· Community leaders and those involved in faith organizations met to discuss what could be done about the recent disturbances.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES They were joined together in holy matrimony.
· Friday is the Muslim holy day.
They were joined together in holy matrimony.· When we get married in church we are making sacred vows.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The Bible as holy literature, the oracles of the Logos, has become for them an inanimate object of scientific investigation.· She regarded his promise as holy.· Many of these hills have become known as holy and were often beacon sites.· Some patients regard diabetic clinic days as holy days and fast for them!
· On such a splendid and most holy day you do not want to read about hurt children.· The Saint died a most holy death on May 2, 1459.· We were the most unholy trinity on the face of the earth, or else the most holy.
NOUN· Did they tease him about his obedience to his parents, his purity, his allegiance to the holy book?· Those who do not know, or who would reject, this holy book are in exile from their maker.· But then, miracles of that kind only happen in holy books or in out of the way places, without scientific proof.· Theliteral interpretation of the holy book reduced human freedom to a minimum.
· There was religious dissension in the holy city of Qom and disaffection in many of the tribal areas.· Both sides are hinting about innovative arrangements for Jerusalem that satisfy their desire to claim the holy city as their capital.· In Ashdod, there is an unforgettable chance to visit the holy city of Jerusalem.· He rode his bicycle like a pilgrim on the quest for a holy city.· Pictures smuggled out of the country show for the first time how the Shia's holy city was destroyed.
· Some patients regard diabetic clinic days as holy days and fast for them!· A letdown was to be expected after the intense activities of high holy days.· They observed holy days and rules of diet and put on black hats and went to the Synagogue.· The couple would only travel to synagogue in Ocala on high holy days.· We know little of its holy days and less about its teachings, which embrace sharing this planet in peace with others.
· No profit in mind, holy Father.
· In fact, perfect information is the unattainable holy grail, but dotcom business brings it that little bit closer.· Legend has it that he obtained the holy grail from the last supper.· Today's proliferating new technologies seem to offer advertisers the chance to reach this holy grail.· For the last few years, the so-called foamless shoe has been the holy grail of the athletic footwear industry.· They announce that they have found the holy grail.· It is her holy grail of sorts.· Instead, we have the enterprise society where profit at any cost has become the holy grail.
· From up here, the Forest of Dean was a holy land.· Psyche, from the regions which Are holy land!
· He was Banda's holy man.· Odysseus then must go down and find the spirit of the prophet Teiresias who had been the holy man of Thebes.· And Pepino came to the conclusion that if St Francis, who had been a holy man, had been so too.· As soon as he received it, the holy man who now looked like a scarecrow gave most of it away.· Your zeide is a rabbi, a holy man.· Sartre and Freud were holy men to us.
· At its strongest, sexuality within holy matrimony was only justified as a necessary part of reproduction.
· We shall fill our bottles with snow from the holy mountain.· A campaign to prevent the desecration of the holy mountain was inevitably going to receive support from the Catholic Church.
· If socialists are right to perceive losses as a virtue, there are a lot of holy people in the capitalist world.
· The scabby, festering evil went out of him at the touch of this holy place.· Could I possibly spend the rest of my life in this holy place?· Christians now had what they had never had before: a network of holy places in their towns.· Respect this holy place, and abide all fates with composure, as mankind should.· A holy place, right ...?· When does holy place become wholly misplaced faith?· The Old Testament identifies holy places which were probably early cultic weeping places.
· Originally this symbolic seat of power contained holy relics.· Gripping the key in his pocket as if it were a holy relic, he took his first step into the world.· To me there is no such thing as a holy relic or place.
· The lines are understood locally as tracks linking holy sites.· One cause of conflict in the plot is the presence of a Mosque on a Hindu holy site.
· Tongues of the holy spirit of the woods, that trembled but did not go out.
· The prosecutors and defense lawyers regarded Kovitsky as a holy terror.· He's got holy terror written all over his face, and his eyes are bursting with pure demon.· I went to him when I was 15, and he was a holy terror.· As soon as my father was out of the way she became a holy terror.
· This is a holy war, you know - spiritual health is more important than the physical kind.· That misunderstanding led to holy wars.· But a United Nations expert from Oxford University says action could lead to a holy war.· Political self-interest and holy war combined to demolish for good the huge structure of empire.· They were the perfect soldiers for Aenarion's holy war.· Great Groups are engaged in holy wars.· The intense zeal on both sides is culminating in a sort of end-of-the-century holy war.· Political power lies on the side of those who declare a holy war against inflation.
· A third held a bucket of holy water towards the priest.· Two girl-sized statues of angels holding fonts of holy water stood by the main door.· A silver dish like a holy water font was fastened to the seat in front of me.· They had been to so many temples and doused themselves with so much holy water, their souls were transparent.· And he was fed the information from myriad channels, to be dispensed with the holy water on Sundays.· Sprinkle dirt just like you sprinkle holy water.· And some of Mr Oats's holy water.· She brought home a large jar of holy water from the cathedral.
· Like most holy wells, it was a natural spring of water, not a man-made sunken well.· Other sites than stones, such as barrows and holy wells, are also the subject of folklore.· Then Olivia and her brother, dressed in their priestly robes, pour libations into the holy well.· Other natural sites acting as terminal points are prominent rock outcrops, springs and holy wells.
· They promptly dumped every economic principle that had once been Labour holy writ.· He stands in front of the cameras and preaches with unmistakable pomposity, treating his opinions as if they were holy writ.· It should be remembered that research findings and conclusions are guidelines, not holy writ.· At that time Freudianizm still prevailed, and Freudian theory was holy writ.· It is legitimate to speculate about the Devil as long as we do not assume that our speculations have the solidity of holy writ.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► holy cow/mackerel etcPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► be joined in marriage/holy matrimony
1connected with God and religion: - As soon as my father was out of the way she became a holy terror.
- I went to him when I was 15, and he was a holy terror.
- The prosecutors and defense lawyers regarded Kovitsky as a holy terror.
- Clearly modern businesses can not refuse to take orders by telephone.
- He wanted to take holy orders, but his father prohibited such a step.
- The black alderman took orders from Neistein.
- They were no longer the oppressed, wretched teen menials who must take orders, toe the line.
- We need to sort of shape ya so you know how to take or, take orders and sit into this machine.
- Would they take orders from him?
the holy city of Varanasi► see thesaurus at religious2very religious: a holy man3holy cow/mackerel etc spoken used to express feelings such as surprise or fear4a holy terror informal someone, especially a child, who causes problems for other people → take (holy) orders at order1(18)THESAURUSholy [usually before noun] connected with God and religion, and therefore treated in a special way – used especially in the following phrases: · the Holy Bible· the holy city of Mecca· a Hindu holy man· They believe they are fighting a holy war.· The priest puts some holy water on the child’s head.sacred connected with God and religion, and therefore treated in a special way – used especially in the following phrases: · This place is sacred to both Jews and Muslims.· In India, cows are considered sacred.· the Hindu sacred texts· sacred music· a sacred ritualdivine relating to or coming from God: · the divine right of kings· divine justice· divine providence· Human love should be a reflection of divine love, and so not be selfish or cruel.spiritual relating to the soul, the spirit, and religion, and not with physical things or ordinary human activities: · Your spiritual life is far more important than any material things you could acquire.· the spiritual leader of the Tibetanshallowed a hallowed place is considered to be very holy: · He was buried in hallowed ground.· The Golden Temple is Sikhism’s most hallowed shrine.blessed made holy by God – used especially about saints: · the blessed Virgin Mary