释义 |
mis·sion I. \ˈmishən\ noun (-s) Usage: often attributive Etymology: New Latin, Medieval Latin & Latin; New Latin mission-, missio ministry commissioned by a religious organization, from Medieval Latin, task with which one is charged, from Latin, act of sending, from missus (past participle of mittere to throw, send) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at smite 1. obsolete : the act or an instance of sending 2. a. : a ministry (as preaching or educational or medical work) commissioned by a church or some other religious organization for the purpose of propagating its faith or carrying on humanitarian work < organized a mission to the Indians > < conducted a mission among the refugees > — compare foreign mission, home mission, rescue mission b. : assignment to or work in a field of missionary enterprise < go on mission as an unprofessed sister > c. (1) : a mission institution (as a church, school, or hospital) or establishment (as a compound or a community and its lands) or a building < mission hall > (2) : a local church that is not self-supporting and that relies upon its denomination or larger religious organization for financial support d. : the body of missionaries or the administrative organization of a missionary territory working under a church or religious organization e. missions plural : organized missionary work < the seminary's professor of missions > < give more to local expenses than to missions > f. : the administrative division of a Roman Catholic vicariate or apostolic prefecture corresponding to a parish g. : a course of sermons and services at a particular place and time for the special purpose of quickening the faith and zeal of Christians and of converting unbelievers < to conduct a preaching mission > 3. : a body of persons appointed to go somewhere to perform a service or carry on an activity: as a. : a group of persons sent to a foreign country to conduct diplomatic or political negotiations < the ill-fated Grey mission to the United States in the latter part of 1919 — Times Literary Supplement > b. : a permanent embassy or legation in a foreign country < reopen diplomatic missions in those countries … in which it had been previously authorized to establish consular offices — John Hay b. 1910 > c. : a team of scientific or technical specialists sent to a foreign country (as to aid in the development of industry or natural resources) < served on a mission to help improve agricultural methods > d. : a group of leaders in culture or education unofficially representing their country in a foreign country < step up the exchange of cultural missions > e. : a team of military specialists sent to a foreign country to assist in the training of its armed forces < military missions sent by its allies have helped greatly to modernize its army > 4. a. : a specific task with which a person or group is charged; especially : an assignment given to a person or group in an official capacity < given the difficult and dangerous mission of exploring the newly acquired territory > < by patient negotiation succeeded in his mission of averting a strike > < hero of a rescue mission > b. : the chief function or responsibility of an organization or institution < the Erie's principal mission, however, is freight service — Trains > < the mission of that school was to make distant times … intelligible and acceptable to a society issuing from the eighteenth century — J.E.E.Dalberg-Acton > 5. : a continuing task or responsibility that one is destined or fitted to do or specially called upon to undertake : lifework, vocation < took upon himself the mission of bettering the school system > < his mission was to preserve the Union > < gave sense and direction to a young life seeking a mission — P.H.Vieth > 6. a. : a major continuing duty assigned to a military service or command as a part of its function in the national military establishment < the wartime mission of a Navy is to gain and maintain control of the seas — R.A.Ofstie > b. : a definite military or naval task assigned to an individual or unit usually for performance in a combat area or enemy territory < the patrol successfully carried out its mission of bringing back two enemy prisoners > < mission accomplished > c. : a flight operation of a single airplane or a group of airplanes charged with the performance of a specific task < flew nineteen missions during the war > < a weather mission > II. verb (missioned ; missioned ; missioning \-sh(ə)niŋ\ ; missions) transitive verb 1. : to send on or entrust with a mission < missioned her … servants to enrich the fretted splendor of each nook and niche — John Keats > < for the last several years, she had been missioned at St. Mary's Convent — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union > 2. : to carry on a religious mission among or in < missioned a territory larger than the state of Texas > intransitive verb : to carry on a mission : to act as a missionary < now missioning in Argentina for the Midland Bank — Time > |