the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.
the person, animal, or thing so offered.
the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.
the thing so surrendered or devoted.
a loss incurred in selling something below its value.
Also called sacrifice bunt,sacrifice hit .Baseball. a bunt made when there are fewer than two players out, not resulting in a double play, that advances the base runner nearest home without an error being committed if there is an attempt to put the runner out, and that results in either the batter's being put out at first base, reaching first on an error made in the attempt for the put-out, or being safe because of an attempt to put out another runner.
verb (used with object),sac·ri·ficed,sac·ri·fic·ing.
to make a sacrifice or offering of.
to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.
to dispose of (goods, property, etc.) regardless of profit.
Baseball. to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a sacrifice.
verb (used without object),sac·ri·ficed,sac·ri·fic·ing.
Baseball. to make a sacrifice: He sacrificed with two on and none out.
to offer or make a sacrifice.
Origin of sacrifice
1225–75; (noun) Middle English <Old French <Latin sacrificium, equivalent to sacri- (combining form of sacer holy) + -fic-, combining form of facere to make, do1 + -ium-ium; (v.) Middle English sacrifisen, derivative of the noun
pre·sac·ri·fice,noun,verb,pre·sac·ri·ficed,pre·sac·ri·fic·ing.su·per·sac·ri·fice,noun,verb (used with object),su·per·sac·ri·ficed,su·per·sac·ri·fic·ing.un·sac·ri·fice·a·ble,adjectiveun·sac·ri·ficed,adjectiveun·sac·ri·fic·ing,adjectivewell-sac·ri·ficed,adjective
This year, being trapped indoors by smoke felt like a bigger sacrifice.
In defense of California|James Temple|September 4, 2020|MIT Technology Review
He has always shown the highest respect to our active duty troops and veterans with utmost respect paid to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and those wounded in battle.
Did Trump call US war dead “losers” and “suckers”? The controversy, explained.|Alex Ward|September 4, 2020|Vox
That’s what I do, at great sacrifice to my family and my health.
What Can Mayors Do When the Police Stop Doing Their Jobs?|by Alec MacGillis|September 3, 2020|ProPublica
It’s the same thing that happened this summer when after months of sacrifice, they wasted it with bumbling reopenings they later reversed.
Team Reopen: 2, Schools: 0|Scott Lewis|August 31, 2020|Voice of San Diego
The courage of this husband and father is a constant reminder of how much some sacrifice for exercising universal rights.
Behind Bars for the Holidays: 11 Political Prisoners We Want to See Free In 2015|Movements.Org|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, one the most sacred holiday for Muslims is the sacrifice of Abraham, known as Eid al-Adha.
Why Muslims Love Jesus Too|Dean Obeidallah|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They accepted the fact that their party would have to make deals and sacrifice priorities in 2015.
‘Cromnibus’ Passes, But Did Anyone Win?|Ben Jacobs|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was in Saint-Rémy where Van Gogh sends his brother word of how all his sacrifice may soon be for nothing in this life.
Decoding Vincent Van Gogh’s Tempestuous, Fragile Mind|Nick Mafi|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They sacrifice their shelter to contain the walkers—and Judith gets her first action scene!
The Walking Dead’s Midseason Finale Shocker: A Cherished Character Meets a Grisly End|Melissa Leon|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
More is often done for the worst cause than men are willing to do or to sacrifice for the best.
Public School Education|Michael Mller
A man who is good for anything is always ready for his duty, and so is a good woman always ready for a sacrifice.
The Small House at Allington|Anthony Trollope
After this some prayers are recited, and a sacrifice is offered.
Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Edgar Thurston
They intreated vs, that being absent wee would remember them, and by stelth prouided a sacrifice, which we misliked.
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation, Volume XIV (of 16)|Richard Hakluyt
If a man was too poor to sacrifice a living animal, he offered an image of one made of bread.
Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions|T. W. Doane
British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice
sacrifice
/ (ˈsækrɪˌfaɪs) /
noun
a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil
a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity
a symbolic offering of something to a deity
the person, animal, or object surrendered, destroyed, killed, or offered
a religious ceremony involving one or more sacrifices
loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value
chessthe act or an instance of sacrificing a piece
verb
to make a sacrifice (of); give up, surrender, or destroy (a person, thing, etc)
chessto permit or force one's opponent to capture (a piece) freely, as in playing a combination or gambithe sacrificed his queen and checkmated his opponent on the next move
Derived forms of sacrifice
sacrificeable, adjectivesacrificer, noun
Word Origin for sacrifice
C13: via Old French from Latin sacrificium, from sacer holy + facere to make