bishop
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbɪʃəp/
Audio (US) (file)
Etymology 1
From Middle English bischop, bishop, bisshop, biscop, from Old English biscop (“bishop”), from British Latin *biscopo or Vulgar Latin (e)biscopus, from classical Latin episcopus (“overseer, supervisor”), from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “overseer”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + σκοπός (skopós, “watcher”), used in Greek and Latin both generally and as a title of civil officers. Cognate with all European terms for the position in various Christian churches (see below); compare bisp.
Noun
bishop (plural bishops)
- (Christianity) An overseer of congregations: either any such overseer, generally speaking, or (in Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Anglicanism, etc.) an official in the church hierarchy (actively or nominally) governing a diocese, supervising the church's priests, deacons, and property in its territory.
- 1641, ‘Smectymnuus’, Vindic. Answer Hvmble Remonstr., §16. 208
- King James of blessed memory said, no Bishop, no King: it was not he, but others that added, No Ceremony, no Bishop.
- 1715, William Hendley, A Defence of the Church of England, 16
- St. Ignatius... In his 'Epiſtle to the Magneſians,' he exhorts them to do all things in the love of God, telling them, the Biſhop preſides in the place of God...
- 1845, J. Lingard, Hist. & Antiq. Anglo-Saxon Church 3rd ed., I. iv. 146
- These ministers were at first confined to the three orders of bishops, priests, and deacons.
- 1868, Joseph Barber Lightfoot, St. Paul's epistle to the Philippians, 93
- It is a fact now generally recognized by theologians of all shades of opinion, that in the language of the New Testament the same officer in the Church is called indifferently ‘bishop’ ἐπίσκοπος and ‘elder’ or ‘presbyter’ πρεσβύτερος.
- (religion, obsolete) A similar official or chief priest in another religion.
- (obsolete) Any watchman, inspector, or overlooker.
- 1592, Lancelot Andrewes, Sermons (1843), v. 516
- No pinnacle so high but the devil is a bishop over it, to visit and overlook it.
- 1592, Lancelot Andrewes, Sermons (1843), v. 516
- (obsolete) The holder of the Greek or Roman position of episcopus, supervisor over the public dole of grain, etc.
- The chief of the Festival of Fools or St. Nicholas Day.
- 1641, ‘Smectymnuus’, Vindic. Answer Hvmble Remonstr., §16. 208
- (chess) The chess piece denoted ♗ or ♝ which moves along diagonal lines and developed from the shatranj alfil ("elephant") and was originally known as the aufil or archer in English.
- 1562, Rowbotham in Archaeologia, XXIV. 203
- The Bishoppes some name Alphins, some fooles, and some name them Princes; other some call them Archers.
- 1656, Francis Beale translating Gioachino Greco as The royall game of chesse-play, being the study of Biochimo, 2
- A Bishop or Archer, who is commonly figured with his head cloven.
- 1562, Rowbotham in Archaeologia, XXIV. 203
- Any of various African birds of the genus Euplectes; a kind of weaverbird closely related to the widowbirds.
- (dialectal) A ladybug or ladybird, beetles of the family Coccinellidae.
- (alcoholic beverages) A sweet drink made from wine, usually with oranges, lemons, and sugar; mulled and spiced port.
- ante 1745, Jonathan Swift, Women who cry Apples in Works (1746), VIII. 192
- Well roasted, with Sugar and Wine in a Cup,
- They'll make a sweet Bishop.
- 1791, J. Boswell, Life of Johnson, anno 1752 I. 135
- A bowl of that liquor called Bishop, which Johnson had always liked.
- 1801, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Poems, II. 169
- Spicy bishop, drink divine.
- ante 1745, Jonathan Swift, Women who cry Apples in Works (1746), VIII. 192
- (US, archaic) A bustle.
- c. 1860, John Saxe, Progress
- If, by her bishop, or her 'grace' alone,
- A genuine lady, or a church, is known.
- c. 1860, John Saxe, Progress
- (Britain, dialectal, archaic) A children's smock or pinafore.
Usage notes
Generally speaking, Christian churches observe their highest positions—popes, patriarchs, archbishops, etc.—as specially-empowered bishops; thus the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church is the Bishop of Rome, while the Pope of the Coptic Church is nominally bishop of Alexandria though resident in Cairo. In several denominations, the charism of a laying on of hands is believed to introduce new bishops to an unbroken apostolic succession initiated by the Holy Ghost at the Pentecost described in the 2nd chapter of the Book of Acts.
Traditionally, the rank of bishop has been restricted to men and many denominations continue this practice. Even denominations permitting the marriage of priests (such as Eastern Orthodoxy) typically require complete celibacy from those promoted to bishophood: owing to traditional aversions to divorce, this usually restricts the rank to single men and widowers. Catholic bishops are also priests; Eastern Orthodox bishops are usually (but not always) monks.
Synonyms
- (normally) diocesan bishop, suffragan bishop
- (canon law) ordinary, (Eastern Orthodoxy) hierarch
- (as creators of priests) consecrator
Hyponyms
- (highest-ranking) catholicos, major archbishop, patriarch, pope
- (higher-ranking) archbishop, cardinal, eparch, exarch, metropolitan, metropolitan bishop, primate
- (territorial sovereigns) prince-bishop, prince-archbishop, Prince of the Church
- (nominal, as over a diocese without a congregation) titular bishop
- (lower-ranking) coadjutor bishop, assistant bishop, auxiliary bishop
- (as creators of other bishops) principal consecrator, principal co-consecrator
- (retired) bishop emeritus
Holonyms
- (Roman Catholicism, Methodism, worldwide) college
- (Eastern Orthodoxy, worldwide) Holy Synod, synod
- (Roman Catholicism, regional) conference, episcopal conference
- (others, regional) assembly, sobor, synod
- (ad hoc) council, ecumenical council
- (ad hoc, derogatory) conciliabule, conciliabulum
- (cardinals) college, conclave
Derived terms
- (church official, supervisor of priests and congregations):
- (obsolete) bishopist
- (obsolete) bishopwick
- archbishop
- assistant-bishop, assistant bishop
- auxiliary bishop
- bash the bishop
- Bishop Auckland
- Bishop Barker
- bishop-coadjutor, bishop coadjutor
- bishop-commissioner
- bishop-designate
- bishop-designed
- bishopdom
- bishop-elect
- bishop emeritus
- bishopess
- bishopful
- bishophood
- bishoping
- bishop-leaves
- bishopless
- bishoplet
- bishopling
- bishop pawn
- bishop plover
- bishopric, bishoprick
- Bishopric of the Forces
- Bishop's Bible, Bishops' Bible
- bishop's-cap, bishop's cap
- Bishop's Castle
- bishop's collar
- bishop's court
- bishop-seat
- bishop-see
- bishop's elder
- bishop's-hat
- bishopship
- bishop sleeve, bishop's sleeve
- bishop's length
- Bishop's Stortford
- Bishop to the Forces
- bishop-weed, bishop's weed, bishop's-weed
- bishop wort, bishop's wort, bishop's-wort
- coadjutor bishop
- diocesan bishop
- Lord Bishop
- metropolitan bishop
- presiding bishop
- prince-bishop
- ruling bishop
- said the actress to the bishop
- suffragan bishop
- Synod of Bishops
- titular bishop
- (African weaverbirds):
- bishop-bird, bishop bird
- black bishop, Angola black bishop, northern black bishop, southern black bishop
- Cape bishop
- fire-crowned bishop
- fire-fronted bishop
- golden-backed bishop
- orange bishop
- red bishop, black-winged red bishop, northern red bishop, southern red bishop
- yellow bishop
- yellow-crowned bishop
- Zanzibar red bishop
Related terms
- (abbreviation) Bp.
- (female) bishopess
- episcopal, Episcopalian, episcopate
- bishopric
Translations
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See also
Chess pieces in English · chess pieces, chessmen (see also: chess) (layout · text) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
king | queen | castle, rook | bishop | knight | pawn |
- (forms of address) your Grace, your Excellency, my Lord, my Lord Bishop
- (styles) Most Reverend, Right Reverend
- (territory) diocese, see
- (headquarters) cathedral, catholicon, katholikon, sobor
- (clothing) alb, amice, biretta, buskins (stockings), cappa magna, cassalb, cassock, chasuble, choir dress, cope, dalmatic (tunic), epimanikia (cuffs), episcopal gloves, episcopal sandals, epitrachil, mantya (mantle), mitre (hat), omophor, phelonion, rochet (surplice), sakkos, sticharion, stole, tunicle, vestments, zucchetto (skullcap)
- (accessories) bugia, cathedra (throne), crozier (staff), dikirion, engolpion, epigonation, episcopal ring, fashia (sash), maniple, orletz (rug), panagia, pectoral cross, trikirion, zone (belt)
Verb
bishop (third-person singular simple present bishops, present participle bishoping or bishopping, simple past and past participle bishoped or bishopped)
- (Christianity) To act as a bishop, to perform the duties of a bishop, especially to confirm another's membership in the church.
- c. 1000, Thorpe's Laws, II. 348 (Bosw.)
- Se bisceop biþ gesett... to bisceopgenne cild.
- c. 1315, Shoreham, 5
- 1622, W. Yonge, Diary (1848), 50
- The Marquis of Buckingham and his wife were both bishopped, or confirmed by the Bishop of London.
- 1655, T. Fuller, Church-hist. Brit., ix. 81
- Harding and Saunders Bishop it in England.
- 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, page 35:
- Here too physical effects were vulgarly attributed to the ceremony… as evidenced by the case of the old Norfolk woman who claimed to have been ‘bishopped’ seven times, because she found it helped her rheumatism.
- (by extension, jocularly, obsolete) To confirm (in its other senses).
- 1596, W. Warner, Albions Eng., x. liv. 243
- Why sent they it by Felton to be bishoped at Paules?
- 1700, John Dryden translating Boccaccio's Cymon & Iphigenia in Fables, 550
- He... chose to bear The Name of Fool confirm'd, and Bishop'd by the Fair.
- 1596, W. Warner, Albions Eng., x. liv. 243
- c. 1000, Thorpe's Laws, II. 348 (Bosw.)
- (Christianity) To make a bishop.
- (Christianity, rare) To provide with bishops.
- 1865 December 6, Daily Telegraph, 5/3
- Italy would be well bishoped if her episcopacy... did not exceed fifty-nine.
- 1865 December 6, Daily Telegraph, 5/3
- (Britain, dialectal) To permit food (especially milk) to burn while cooking (from bishops' role in the inquisition or as mentioned in the quotation below, of horses).
- ante 1536, Tyndale, Works, 166 (T.)
- 1641, John Milton, Animadversions, 9
- It will be as bad as the Bishops foot in the broth.
- 1738, Jonathan Swift, Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat., 10
- The Cream is burnt to.
- Betty. Why, Madam, the Bishop has set his Foot in it.
- 1863, E. C. Gaskell, Sylvia's Lovers, I. 64
- 1875, Lanc. Gloss., 40
- Th' milk's bishopped again!
- (by extension, of horses) To make a horse seem younger, particularly by manipulation of its teeth.
- 1727, R. Bradley, Family Dict. at "Horse"
- This way of making a Horse look young is... called Bishoping.
- 1788, Francis Grose, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue 2nd ed.
- Bishopped, or To bishop. A term among horſe dealers, for burning the mark into a horſe's tooth, after he has loſt it by age... It is a common ſaying of milk that is burnt to, that the biſhop has fet his foot in it. Formerly, when a biſhop paſſed through a village, all the inhabitants ran out of their houſes to ſolicit his bleſſing, even leaving their milk, &c. on the fire, to take its chance; which, when burnt to, was ſaid to be biſhopped.
- 1840, E. E. Napier, Scenes & Sports Foreign Lands, I. v. 138
- I found his teeth had been filed down and bishoped with the greatest neatness and perfection.
- 1727, R. Bradley, Family Dict. at "Horse"
Derived terms
- bishop it
Verb
bishop (third-person singular simple present bishops, present participle bishoping or bishopping, simple past and past participle bishoped or bishopped)
- (Britain, colloquial, obsolete) To murder by drowning.
- 1840, R.H. Barham, Some Account of a New Play in Ingoldsby Legends 1st series, 308
- I Burked the papa, now I'll Bishop the son.
- 1870, Walter Thornbury, Old Stories Re-told
- There were no more Burking murders until 1831, when two men, named Bishop and Williams, drowned a poor [14-year-old] Italian boy in Bethnal Green, and sold his body to the surgeons.
- 2002, Helen Smith, Grave-Robbers, Cut-throats, and Poisoners of London, 66
- John Bishop and another grave-robber called Thomas Williams had drowned the boy, a woman and another boy in a well in John Bishop's garden in Bethnal Green... Bishop and Williams were hanged outside Newgate Prison in December 1831 in front of an angry crowd of 30,000.
- 1840, R.H. Barham, Some Account of a New Play in Ingoldsby Legends 1st series, 308
References
- Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "bishop, n.", "bishop, v.1", and "bishop, v.2". Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1887.
- Webster's New International Dictionary. "Bishop". 1913.