Pridian
(Prid"i*an) a. [L. pridianus.] Of or pertaining to the day before, or yesterday. [R.] Thackeray.
Pridingly
(Prid"ing*ly) adv. Proudly. [Obs.]
Prie
(Prie) n. (Bot.) The plant privet. [Obs.] Tusser.
Prie
(Prie), v. i. To pry. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Pried
(Pried) imp. & p. p. of Pry.
Priedieu
(Prie`dieu") n. [F., literally, pray God.] A kneeling desk for prayers.
Prief
(Prief) n. Proof. [Obs.] Spenser. Lydgate.
Prier
(Pri"er) n. [From Pry.] One who pries; one who inquires narrowly and searches, or is inquisitive.
So pragmatical a prier he is into divine secrets.
Fuller. Priest
(Priest) n. [OE. prest, preost, AS. preóst, fr. L. presbyter, Gr. elder, older, n., an elder, compar.
of an old man, the first syllable of which is probably akin to L. pristinus. Cf. Pristine, Presbyter.]
1. (Christian Church) A presbyter elder; a minister; specifically: (a) (R. C. Ch. & Gr. Ch.) One who is
authorized to consecrate the host and to say Mass; but especially, one of the lowest order possessing
this power. Murdock. (b) (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.) A presbyter; one who belongs to the intermediate
order between bishop and deacon. He is authorized to perform all ministerial services except those of
ordination and confirmation.
2. One who officiates at the altar, or performs the rites of sacrifice; one who acts as a mediator between
men and the divinity or the gods in any form of religion; as, Buddhist priests. "The priests of Dagon." 1
Sam. v. 5.
Then the priest of Jupiter . . . brought oxen and garlands . . . and would have done sacrifice with the
people.
Acts xiv. 13.
Every priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer
both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
Heb. v. 1. In the New Testament presbyters are not called priests; but Christ is designated as a priest, and as a
high priest, and all Christians are designated priests.
Priest
(Priest) v. t. To ordain as priest.
Priestcap
(Priest"cap`) n. (Fort.) A form of redan, so named from its shape; — called also swallowtail.
Priestcraft
(Priest"craft`) n. Priestly policy; the policy of a priesthood; esp., in an ill sense, fraud or imposition
in religious concerns; management by priests to gain wealth and power by working upon the religious
motives or credulity of others.
It is better that men should be governed by priestcraft than by violence.
Macaulay. Priestery
(Priest"er*y) n. Priests, collectively; the priesthood; — so called in contempt. [R.] Milton.
Priestess
(Priest"ess), n. A woman who officiated in sacred rites among pagans. Abp. Potter.
Priesthood
(Priest"hood) n.
1. The office or character of a priest; the priestly function. Bk. of Com. Prayer.
