Definition

1. Noun:
   • A very strong feeling or emotion: An intense, compelling, and sometimes overwhelming emotional state.
   • Intense enthusiasm or desire for something: A powerful, driving interest in or love for an activity, object, or concept.
   • Strong sexual desire or romantic love: An intense feeling of sexual attraction or deep affection.
   • The suffering of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion: In Christian theology, the final events of Jesus's life, including his suffering and death.
   • An irrational but compelling motive: A powerful impulse that drives behavior, often against reason.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She spoke about her work with great passion. (She spoke with intense enthusiasm.)
  • He has a passion for classical music. (He has a powerful, driving love for it.)
  • Their relationship was fueled by both love and passion. (It was fueled by deep affection and strong desire.)
  • The film depicted the Passion of Christ. (The film showed Jesus's suffering.)
  • He stole the car in a moment of passion, not thinking of the consequences. (He was driven by a powerful, irrational impulse.)

Advanced Usage

• "With a passion": Used to emphasize the intensity of a feeling or dislike.
  • She hates injustice with a passion. (She hates it very intensely.)
• "A crime of passion": A crime, especially murder, committed in a state of intense emotional rage, often due to jealousy or betrayal.
  • The defense argued it was a crime of passion, not premeditated murder.

Variants and Related Words

• Passionate (adj): Having, showing, or caused by strong feelings or beliefs.
  • She is a passionate advocate for human rights.
• Passionless (adj): Lacking strong emotion or enthusiasm.
  • He gave a passionless performance.
• Passionately (adv): In a very intense or emotional way.
  • They argued passionately about politics.

Synonyms

• Ardor: Great enthusiasm or passion.
• Fervor: Intense and passionate feeling.
• Zeal: Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.
• Desire: A strong feeling of wanting something or wishing for something to happen.

Related Phrases

• Passion fruit: A type of tropical fruit (This is a compound noun, not a phrasal use of "passion").
• Passion play: A dramatic representation of the Passion of Christ.

Idioms

• "A labor of love/passion": A task done for pleasure, not for reward.
  • Restoring the old house was a labor of passion for him.
• "Burn with passion": To feel an emotion, especially love or desire, very intensely.
  • In the novel, the two lovers burned with passion for each other.

Noun

1. the suffering of Jesus at the Crucifixion
2. any object of warm affection or devotion;
   • the theater was her first love
   • he has a passion for cock fighting
3. a feeling of strong sexual desire
4. an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action
5. something that is desired intensely
   • his rage for fame destroyed him
6. the trait of being intensely emotional
7. a strong feeling or emotion