graven image
/'greivən'imidʤ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A material effigy that is worshipped: A "graven image" is a physical object, typically carved or sculpted, that is used as an object of worship or veneration. It is an idol.
Usage
- The term is primarily used in religious or historical contexts, often with a negative connotation implying false worship or idolatry, especially in Abrahamic religious traditions.
- It is a formal and somewhat archaic term, most famously appearing in the King James Version of the Bible.
Examples
- Noun:
- The ancient tribe worshipped a graven image of a bull.
- The commandment states, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image."
- To him, his luxury car was like a graven image; he cared for nothing else.
Advanced Usage
- "Graven image" as a metaphor: The term can be used metaphorically to describe any object or concept that is given excessive devotion or reverence, often to a harmful degree.
- For the obsessed collector, the rare stamp was not just an item but a graven image.
Variants and Related Words
- Idol (n): A more common and general synonym for an image or statue worshipped as a god.
- Effigy (n): A sculpture or model of a person, which can be used for worship or, in other contexts, for protest or ridicule.
- Icon (n): In religious art, a sacred image, especially in Eastern Christianity. Unlike "graven image," "icon" is often used positively within its tradition.
Synonyms
- Idol
- Fetish
- Icon (context-dependent)
- Figurehead (in a metaphorical, secular sense)
Related Idioms and Phrases
- To make a graven image of something: To idolize or worship something material excessively.
- He had made a graven image of his career, sacrificing his family for it.
Noun
- a material effigy that is worshipped
- thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
- money was his god