Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. See Table at Bible.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. One of the books of the Old Testment, also called the Preacher. Ecclesiastes is the Greek title in the Septuagint version. But preacher, in its modern signification, is not synonymous with the original. (See the etymology.) The book is a dramatic presentation of the fruitlessness of a life devoted to wordly pleasure or ambition. It purports to be a record of the experience and reflections of Solomon, to whom its authorship is often attributed, but on this point Biblical critics disagree. Often abbreviated Eccl., Eccles.
Wiktionary
- n. biblical A book in the Old Testament of the Bible. Sometimes abbreviated as Eccl. or Eccles.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. One of the canonical books of the Old Testament.
WordNet 3.0
- n. an Old Testament book consisting of reflections on the vanity of human life; is traditionally attributed to Solomon but probably was written about 250 BC
Etymologies
- Latin Ecclesiastes, from Ancient Greek according Septuaginta Ἐκκλησιαστής (Wiktionary)
- Late Latin Ecclēsiastēs, from Greek Ekklēsiastēs, preacher (translation of Hebrew qōhelet), from ekklēsiastēs, a member of the ecclesia, from ekklēsiā, ecclesia; see ecclesia. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“I remember thinking at the time it was a really stupid idea, but apparently it had longevity, because those hands were the first thing I thought about when the word Ecclesiastes popped into my mind at two a.m.”
“Pretty soon, the brazen number seven was followed by the word Ecclesiastes.”
“A Rose for Ecclesiastes" is a really powerful story to begin with - consciously old-fashioned but doing something new as well.”
“Ecclesiastes is another complicated and ambiguous book.”
“MR. DANA PORTER: Referring to the Bible as a textbook on Economics, perhaps Mr. Gardiner will remember the reference in Ecclesiastes, where the words are used: "In times of prosperity rejoice; in years of famine consider.”
“The Scope of Ecclesiastes is to show the vanity of all mere human pursuits, when made the chief end, as contrasted with the real blessedness of true wisdom, that is, religion.”
“Tina always had a slight proclivity for sermonizing, but a chapter in Ecclesiastes, coming from little preachers with lips and eyes like hers, is generally acceptable.”
“However, I have an overriding sense (or philosophy) that it’s all a big nothing — or ‘chasing after wind’ as it says in Ecclesiastes & therefore, at least up to the present, nothing has caused me too much grief.”
“Then one day, in the ruins of an ancient library at Lambeth on the south side of the Thames, a collector of ancient technologies found a book called Ecclesiastes.”
The Guardian: The Good Book: A Secular Bible by AC Grayling – review
“The timeless pessimism of the 3rd-century writer known as Ecclesiastes 1:9 points us to the enduring essence of the human heart and the amazing bodies that bear it: “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.””
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘Ecclesiastes’.
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Orwellian Purism
Words and phrases George Orwell criticizes in his essay 'Politics and the English Language'.
ring the changes on, take up the cudge..., toe the line, ride roughshod over, stand shoulder to..., play into the han..., no axe to grind, grist to the mill, fishing in troubl..., on the order of t..., Achilles’ heel, swan song and 162 more...
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RELI - Books of the Bible
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings and 54 more...
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Pursue bliss
Words for those who believe everyday should be your day in the sun. Follow your bliss!
Bon vivant, frabjous, Joseph Campbell, bel esprit, esthete, elegantiarum, grammaticaster, jouissance, surplus-jouissance, elysian, thaumazein, mirabile dictu and 61 more...
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