angel

noun

1. 1

   An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes.

   The dear good angel of the Spring, / The nightingale.

   There seemed to be girls sitting on top of them, or maybe they were meant to be angels. Angels are usually represented as wearing more than that, though.

2. 2

   An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes. One of the lowest order of such beings, below virtues.

3. 3

   figurativeA person having qualities traditionally attributed to angels. Someone who is pure or innocent.

   Michael Brown, 18, due to be buried on Monday, was no angel, with public records and interviews with friends and family revealing both problems and promise in his young life.

4. 4

   figurativeA person having qualities traditionally attributed to angels. Someone who is kind or selfless.

   Thanks for making me breakfast in bed, you little angel.

5. 5

   figurativeA person having qualities traditionally attributed to angels. Someone, especially a woman or child, having youthful, wholesome, or radiant beauty.

6. 6

   obsoleteAttendant spirit; genius; demon.

   Diſpaire thy Charme, / And let the Angell whom thou ſtill haſt ſeru’d / Tell thee, Macduffe was from his Mothers womb / Vntimely ript.

7. 7

   obsoleteAn official (a bishop, or sometimes a minister) who heads a Christian church, especially a Catholic Apostolic Church.

   An apostle, or angel, or bishop, as he is now called, resided with a college of presbyters about him, in every considerable city of the Roman empire; to that angel or bishop, was committed the pastoral care of all the Christian in the city and its suburbs, extending as far on all sides as the jurisdiction of the civil magistrate extended;

   […] the head of that Church, in whose place I stand in my Church, and in whose place no other standeth (the elders and deacons have their place, but this belongeth to the angel or minister of the Church), and the Lord commendeth him for trying […]

   The second or highest grade consists of the Angels or Bishops of Churches. Each Church has its Angel, who has (1) the higher supervision and care of all the flock, (2) the supervision and care of the Priests under him, and (3) the care of the Church itself.

8. 8

   historicalAn English gold coin, bearing the figure of the archangel Michael, circulated between the 15th and 17th centuries, and varying in value from six shillings and eightpence to ten shillings.

9. 9

   slangAn altitude, measured in thousands of feet.

   Climb to angels sixty.

   And even now part of me flies over Dresden at angels one five; / Though they’ll never fathom it, behind my sarcasm desperate memories lie.

10. 10

    datedAn unidentified flying object detected by air traffic control radar.

11. 11

    someone that funds An angel investor.

    “Latent” angels are defined as those who have not invested capital in the past 12 months, although they likely have invested knowledge in the process of reviewing potential investments.

12. 12

    someone that funds The person who funds a show.

verb

1. 1

   slangTo support by donating money.

   Six years ago, he lost $20,000 in the first show he angelled, a turkey called Dance Night.

   You've got to come to Chicago to meet Duell, and see Wilson, who's going to angel the show.

noun

1. 1

   informalA person who has Angelman syndrome; often capitalized.

Forms

plural

angels

past tense

angeled, angelled

past participle

angeled, angelled

present participle

angeling, angelling

third person singular

angels