martyr
nounverbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈmɑːtə(ɹ)//
- Australia//ˈmɐːtə(ɹ)//
- Australia/[ˈmɐːtə(ɹ)]/
- Australia/[ˈmɐːɾə(ɹ)]/
One who willingly accepts being put to death or willingly accepts challenging and exposing iniquity done to oneself for adhering openly to one's religious beliefs; notably, saints canonized after red martyrdom.
noun
- 1
One who willingly accepts being put to death or willingly accepts challenging and exposing iniquity done to oneself for adhering openly to one's religious beliefs; notably, saints canonized after red martyrdom.
The apostle Stephen was the first Christian martyr.
Fr. Felipe Císcar Puig was a Valencian priest who is also also considered a martyr of the sacramental seal because he was martyred after keeping confessions secret during the religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War.
- 2
One who sacrifices their life, station, or something of great personal value, for the sake of principle or to sustain a cause.
- 3
One who suffers greatly or constantly, even involuntarily.
Stan is a martyr to arthritis, Chris is a martyr to Stan's endless moaning about it.
He'd been a martyr to asthma all his life.
J.Q. Murder wears sandpaper suits Broken glass in pocket, barbed wire boots Not because he's mean, but because he's a martyr He makes Jackie Collins look like Jean-Paul Sartre
- 4
Someone who exaggerates their pain and suffering in order to gain sympathy.
You have a great life! Stop trying to play the martyr!
Etymology
From Middle English martir, from Old English martyr, itself a borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin martyr, from Ancient Greek μάρτυρ (mártur), later form of μάρτυς (mártus, “witness”).
verb
- 1
To make someone into a martyr by putting them to death for adhering to, or acting in accordance with, some belief, especially religious; to sacrifice on account of faith or profession.
Fr. Felipe Císcar Puig was a Valencian priest who is also also considered a martyr of the sacramental seal because he was martyred after keeping confessions secret during the religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War.
- 2
To persecute.
Some religious and other minorities were martyred until extinction.
- 3
To torment; to torture.
Hark, wretches, how I mean to martyr you. This one hand yet is left to cut your throats, Whiles that Lavinia ’tween her stumps doth hold The basin that receives your guilty blood.
[…]The louely Amoret, whoſe gentle hart Thou martyreſt with ſorow and with ſmart,[…]
Forms
- plural
- martyrs
- past tense
- martyred
- past participle
- martyred
- present participle
- martyring
- third person singular
- martyrs
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