church
Noun:
- A building for public Christian worship: A physical structure where Christians gather for religious services, prayer, and ceremonies.
- A religious service held in such a building: The act of worship or the event itself that takes place within the building.
- The collective body of Christian believers, or a particular denomination: Refers to all Christians collectively or to a specific organized Christian group with its own doctrines and practices (e.g., the Catholic Church).
Verb:
- To bring (a woman) to church for a service of thanksgiving after childbirth: A specific, formal, and now rare usage meaning to conduct or participate in a church rite for a woman following childbirth.
Noun (Building):
- The old stone church has stood in the village square for 300 years.
- They got married in a beautiful church by the sea.
Noun (Service):
- We go to church every Sunday morning.
- Church begins at 10 a.m.
Noun (Body of believers/Denomination):
- The church voted to support the new community initiative.
- He studied the history of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Verb:
- In some traditions, it was customary to church a woman a few weeks after she had given birth.
"To go into the church": To become a member of the clergy; to be ordained as a priest or minister.
- After his spiritual awakening, he decided to go into the church.
"As poor as a church mouse": An idiom meaning extremely poor. (This idiom uses "church" as a modifier in a fixed phrase).
- After losing his job, he was as poor as a church mouse.
Churchly (adj): Pertaining to or suitable for a church; ecclesiastical.
- The bishop wore his churchly robes.
Churchgoer (n): A person who attends church regularly.
- Churchyard (n): The ground adjoining a church, often used as a cemetery.
- Chapel: A smaller place of Christian worship, often part of a larger institution or a non-conformist denomination.
- Cathedral: The principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's throne.
- Congregation: The group of people assembled for religious worship, or the members of a particular church.
To go to church: To attend a church service.
- My family makes an effort to go to church together.
To church someone (archaic verb): As defined above.
- The midwife helped arrange to church the new mother.
A broad church: An organization, group, or set of beliefs that accepts a wide range of opinions and people. (This is a metaphorical extension).
- The political party tried to present itself as a broad church to attract more voters.
To preach to the choir (or to the converted): To try to persuade people who already agree with you. (While not containing the word "church," this idiom originates from a church context).
- the body of people who attend or belong to a particular local church
- our church is hosting a picnic next week
- a service conducted in a house of worship
- don't be late for church
- a place for public (especially Christian) worship
- the church was empty
- one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
- perform a special church rite or service for
- church a woman after childbirth