Religious Practices

noun a person who gives alms or charity to those in need

• The wealthy almsgiver donated a large sum of money to the local charity.
• The generous almsgiver always helps out those in need in our community.
• That dude is like the ultimate almsgiver, always giving to anyone who asks.
• Her heart was like that of an almsgiver, always ready to offer help and support to those in distress.

noun a god or deity worshipped in various ancient Middle Eastern religions, including those of the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and Israelites

• The ancient city of Ugarit was known for its worship of the deity Baal.
• I heard that Baal was one of the gods worshipped in ancient times.
• Some people believe that Baal was a pretty cool dude back in the day.
• In modern times, some may view technology as the new Baal, with people worshipping their devices.

noun a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives

• In ancient China, a concubine was a woman who lived with a man and had a lower status than his wife.
• The king's concubine lived in a separate wing of the palace.
• I heard she's his concubine on the side.
• The smartphone has become the modern-day concubine, always by our side.

adverb typically or usually; in accordance with custom or tradition

• In many cultures, it is customarily to bow when greeting someone.
• People customarily bring a gift when attending a housewarming party.
• We customarily grab a bite to eat after work on Fridays.
• The team customarily comes together to brainstorm ideas for the project.

noun a form of worship or reverence directed towards the devil or Satan

• The practice of devil worship is considered a taboo in many societies.
• Some people believe that devil worship is just a myth.
• I heard that guy is into devil worship, can you believe it?
• Her obsession with money is like a form of devil worship.

noun the act of dedicating time to worship or prayer

• She attended daily devotions at the church.
• I like to do my devotions in the morning before work.
• I'm trying to get back into the habit of doing my devotions every day.
• His devotions to his craft paid off in the form of a successful career.

noun a religious or spiritual practice of attempting to drive out evil spirits or demons from a person or place

• The priest performed an exorcism to rid the possessed individual of the evil spirit.
• I heard they called in a exorcist to deal with the haunted house.
• They say exorcisms are the real deal when it comes to getting rid of ghosts.
• The team needed to perform an exorcism on their defense to get rid of the mistakes they were making.

noun the act of worshipping or revering fire

• Fire worship has been a long-standing tradition in certain cultures.
• Have you ever heard of fire worship ceremonies?
• Some people think fire worship is pretty cool.
• His passion for music is like a form of fire worship.

verb to precede or come before in time or order

preposition used to indicate that something happens before something else in time or order

• In this court of law, the evidence presented must go before the judge for a ruling.
• Before we make any decisions, let's see what the boss has to say first.
• I can't believe you're going before the principal for breaking the rules.
• Sometimes in life, your past actions will go before you and affect your future opportunities.

noun Idol worship is the act of worshiping or revering an idol or physical object as a representation of a deity or god.

• Many ancient civilizations engaged in idol worship as part of their religious practices.
• Some people still believe in idol worship despite modern advancements in religious beliefs.
• Idol worship is so outdated, don't you think?
• In today's society, idol worship can be seen as putting celebrities on a pedestal.

noun the laying on of something as a burden or obligation

• The new tax law is seen as an imposition on small businesses.
• I see this new rule as a real imposition on our daily routine.
• Having to work overtime on Fridays is such an imposition.
• The heavy workload felt like an imposition on my work-life balance.

noun a legal order prohibiting a certain action

verb to prohibit or forbid

• The court issued an interdict to prevent the company from selling the counterfeit products.
• The teacher interdicted us from using our phones during class.
• The security guard interdicted the troublemakers from entering the club.
• His fear of failure interdicted him from taking any risks in his career.

noun food that is prepared according to Jewish dietary laws

adjective denoting or relating to food that is prepared according to Jewish dietary laws

• The restaurant only serves kosher food in accordance with Jewish dietary laws.
• My friend only eats kosher food because of his religious beliefs.
• I heard this new deli makes the most killer kosher sandwiches in town.
• The company's financial practices are not exactly kosher, if you know what I mean.

noun a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work

• Monasticism is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to fully dedicate themselves to spiritual practice.
• Some people find solace and purpose in the strict discipline of monasticism.
• Dude, I could never handle the rules of monasticism, it's way too intense.
• In a way, his dedication to his craft was like a form of monasticism, shutting out all distractions to focus solely on his work.

noun a failure to observe or comply with a rule or law

• The nonobservance of the company's safety protocols resulted in a serious accident.
• Ignoring the rules led to a big mess.
• Not following the guidelines caused a real disaster.
• The nonobservance of traffic laws is like playing with fire.

adjective Not conforming to the dietary laws of Judaism; not legitimate or proper

• The ingredients used in this recipe are not kosher according to Jewish dietary laws.
• I heard that the meat at that restaurant is not kosher.
• That place is definitely not kosher, I wouldn't eat there.
• His behavior towards his colleagues is not kosher, he needs to be more respectful.

noun a thing offered, especially as a gift or contribution

verb presenting something as a gift or sacrifice

• The company is considering expanding their product offering to attract more customers.
• I heard the new restaurant down the street has a great lunch offering.
• I'm always down for a free offering of snacks at a party.
• Her offering of support during a difficult time was greatly appreciated.

noun Gods: divine beings worshipped as having control over various aspects of the world and human life.

• The Olympic gods were believed to reside on Mount Olympus in ancient Greek mythology.
• I love reading about the stories of the Olympic gods and goddesses.
• The Olympic gods were like the original squad goals.
• In modern times, some people view celebrities as the new Olympic gods of our society.

noun the state or condition of being a saint; the qualities or characteristics of a saint

• The process of achieving sainthood in the Catholic Church involves rigorous investigation of miracles and virtuous deeds.
• Many people aspire to achieve sainthood by living a life of selflessness and compassion.
• Some people think achieving sainthood is like hitting the spiritual jackpot.
• In the eyes of his followers, his selfless actions elevated him to a level of sainthood.

adjective characterized by strictness or stringency

adverb in a stringent or exact manner; not allowing any deviation from a standard

• The company strictly enforces its dress code policy.
• My mom strictly told me to be home by 10pm.
• I'm strictly vegetarian, I don't eat any meat at all.
• The teacher's grading criteria are strictly based on participation and effort.

noun a form of religious practice or belief in which the sun is revered or worshipped as a deity

• Sun worship was a common practice in ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and the Aztecs.
• Some people still engage in sun worship rituals at the beach during the summer.
• I heard she's really into sun worship, like she spends hours tanning every day.
• His obsession with money borders on sun worship, he's always chasing after more wealth.

noun the act of visiting, as for social, charitable, or business purposes

• The judge granted supervised visitation rights to the non-custodial parent.
• I'm going to visit my grandma during her visitation hours at the nursing home.
• Let's sneak in a quick visitation to the library before it closes.
• The artist's visitation to the museum sparked new inspiration for her next series of paintings.

noun a religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and the southern US, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession

• The practice of voodoo is deeply rooted in African spiritual traditions.
• I heard she's into voodoo and casts spells on people.
• Don't mess with that voodoo stuff, it's bad news.
• His charisma had a voodoo-like effect on everyone he met.

noun a belief or practice that is neither forbidden nor commanded by religious law

• The debate centered around the concept of adiaphorism in religious doctrine.
• I'm not sure I fully understand the idea of adiaphorism in this context.
• Some people think adiaphorism is just a fancy way of saying indifference.
• In the realm of ethics, adiaphorism can be a slippery slope.

noun a person who renounces or rejects something, such as a belief or a way of life

• The abnegator refused to accept any recognition for his hard work.
• She's such an abnegator, always putting others before herself.
• I can't believe that abnegator always lets people walk all over him.
• The artist saw himself as an abnegator of traditional techniques, always seeking new ways to express himself.

noun a single action or event

• The actus reus of the crime must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
• The actus of the play was well-received by the audience.
• Let's skip the actus and get straight to the point.
• His actus of kindness towards strangers is truly inspiring.

verb to stick firmly to something; to follow closely or faithfully

• The company policy strictly emphasizes adhering to all safety regulations.
• Make sure you're adhering to the rules or you might get in trouble.
• Just stick to adhering to the guidelines, okay?
• In order to succeed, you must be committed to adhering to your principles.

adjective relating to or denoting actions or beliefs that are neither forbidden nor commanded by religious law

• The debate on adiaphoristic practices in religious ceremonies has been ongoing for centuries.
• I heard that the adiaphoristic argument at the church meeting got pretty heated.
• I don't really care about all that adiaphoristic stuff, just let people do what they want.
• Her approach to decision-making is adiaphoristic, she doesn't get caught up in the details.

adjective relating to or characteristic of the music, dance, or culture of Cuba, especially that influenced by African traditions

• The afro-cuban music genre combines elements of African and Cuban rhythms.
• I love dancing to afro-cuban music at the salsa club.
• That afro-cuban beat is so catchy, it's impossible not to move to it.
• The afro-cuban culture is a beautiful blend of traditions and influences.