uriah
Definition
Proper noun 1. A Biblical figure: In the Old Testament, Uriah was a Hittite soldier in King David's army and the husband of Bathsheba. He was famously sent by David to die in battle so David could marry Bathsheba.
Usage Examples
- Proper noun:
- The story of Uriah the Hittite is found in the Second Book of Samuel.
- King David arranged for Uriah to be placed in the front lines of battle.
- The prophet Nathan confronted David about his sin concerning Uriah and Bathsheba.
Advanced Usage
- "Uriah Heep": A fictional character from Charles Dickens' novel , known for his hypocritical humility. This usage is a literary reference, not directly related to the Biblical figure but sharing the name.
- He was as obsequious as Uriah Heep.
Variants and Related Words
- Urian (adj): An extremely rare adjective form, not in common usage.
- Uriah-ish (adj, non-standard): An informal, non-standard adjective implying characteristics of deceit or victimization, derived from the Biblical narrative.
Synonyms
- There are no direct synonyms for this proper noun. In narrative context, it could be described as the betrayed soldier or Bathsheba's first husband.
Related Phrases
- Letter to Uriah: A phrase alluding to a message carrying a secret order for the recipient's harm, stemming from the Biblical story where David sent a letter with Uriah that contained his own death warrant.
- Sending him with that instruction was like handing him a letter to Uriah.
Related Idioms
- To play Uriah Heep: To act with false humility or obsequiousness, named after the Dickens character.
- Stop playing Uriah Heep and tell us what you really think.
Noun
- (Old Testament) the husband of Bathsheba and a soldier who was sent to die in battle so that king David could marry his wife (circa 10th century BC)
