idolatrise

A young musician idolatrises her favorite singer by hanging a poster on her bedroom wall.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To worship or adore excessively: "idolatrise" means to regard someone or something with extreme devotion or reverence, as if they were a deity.
   • To treat as an idol: It involves elevating a person, object, or idea to an almost divine status, often beyond reasonable admiration.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Many fans idolatrise their favourite celebrities, ignoring their flaws. (They worship them excessively.)
  • He tends to idolatrise wealth, believing it solves all problems. (He treats money as an object of extreme reverence.)
  • The tribe would idolatrise the ancient tree, considering it sacred. (They worshipped it as a deity.)

Advanced Usage

• "to idolatrise someone": to place a person on a pedestal, often to an unhealthy degree.

  • She idolatrised her mentor, copying every word he said. (She revered him excessively.)

• "to idolatrise an idea": to hold a concept in such high regard that it becomes unquestionable.

  • The political leader idolatrised nationalism, making it a central doctrine. (He treated nationalism as a sacred principle.)

Variants and Related Words

• Idol (n): an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship; a person who is greatly admired.
  • The statue was an idol of the ancient deity. (A physical representation of a god.)
• Idolatry (n): the worship of idols; extreme admiration or love for someone or something.
  • His idolatry for the singer led him to collect all her albums. (Excessive devotion.)
• Idolatrous (adj): relating to or practicing idolatry; given to excessive admiration.
  • The idolatrous crowd cheered for the pop star as if she were a goddess. (Showing extreme reverence.)

Synonyms

• Worship: to show reverence and adoration, especially in a religious context.
• Adore: to love and admire deeply.
• Venerate: to regard with great respect; to revere.
• Deify: to make a god of; to treat as divine.

Related Idioms

• Put on a pedestal: to admire someone so much that you treat them as perfect.
  • She put her boyfriend on a pedestal, but he was only human. (She idolatrised him.)
• Bow down to: to show submission or excessive respect to someone.
  • The fans bowed down to the rock star, treating him like a king. (They idolatrised him.)

Usage Notes

• Formal and less common: "Idolatrise" is a relatively formal verb, often used in literary or critical contexts. It is less common than the noun "idolatry" or the adjective "idolatrous."
• Negative connotation: The word typically implies excessive or irrational devotion, suggesting a lack of balance or critical judgment.