coven
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. An assembly or gathering of witches: A coven is a formal group or community of individuals who practice witchcraft together, traditionally believed to consist of thirteen members. 2. A close-knit group with a shared, often secretive, interest or purpose: By extension, the term can be used metaphorically to describe any small, intimate group perceived as having a private or exclusive bond, sometimes with a negative or mysterious connotation.
Usage Examples
- Literal meaning:
- The young witch sought initiation into the local coven.
- Legend says the coven meets in the forest under the full moon.
- Metaphorical meaning:
- The powerful executives formed a secretive coven that controlled the company's major decisions.
- Her book club felt less like a reading group and more like an exclusive coven.
Advanced Usage
- "To be in a coven": To be a member of a witches' coven.
- She has been in a coven for over a decade, studying herbal magic.
- "Coven meeting": A scheduled gathering of a coven.
- The monthly coven meeting was held to celebrate the solstice.
Variants and Related Words
- Covenant (noun): A formal and binding agreement or promise. While the words share a Latin root (, meaning "to come together"), their meanings are distinct. A is a pact, whereas a is a group.
- The two nations signed a peace covenant.
Synonyms
- Assembly (a group of people gathered for a specific purpose).
- Circle (a group of people with a shared interest).
- Coterie (a small, exclusive group of people with shared interests).
- Cabal (a secret political clique or faction, often with conspiratorial connotations).
Related Phrases
- High Priestess/Priest of a coven: The leader of a coven.
- As the High Priestess, she guided the rituals of the coven.
- Covenstead: The regular meeting place of a coven.
- Their covenstead was a small cottage at the edge of town.
Noun
- an assembly of witches; usually 13 witches