sublime

American  

[suh-blahym] / səˈblaɪm /

adjective

1. elevated or lofty in thought, language, etc.: Paradise Lost is sublime poetry.

   Synonyms:

   noble, exalted

2. impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe, veneration, etc..

   Switzerland has sublime scenery.

   Synonyms:

   majestic, imposing, resplendent, gorgeous, grand, august, superb, magnificent

3. supreme or outstanding.

   a sublime dinner.

4. complete; absolute; utter.

   sublime stupidity.

5. Archaic.

   1. of lofty bearing.

   2. haughty.

6. Archaic. raised high; high up.

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noun

sublimes plural

1. the sublime,

   1. the realm of things that are sublime.

      the sublime in art.

   2. the quality of being sublime.

      the sublime of nature.

   3. the greatest or supreme degree.

verb (used with object)

sublimed, subliming

1. to make higher, nobler, or purer.

2. Chemistry.

   1. to convert (a solid substance) by heat into a vapor, which on cooling condenses again to solid form, without apparent liquefaction.

   2. to cause to be given off by this or some analogous process.

verb (used without object)

sublimed, subliming

1. Chemistry. to volatilize from the solid state to a gas, and then condense again as a solid without passing through the liquid state.

sublime British  

/ səˈblaɪm, səˈblɪmɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of high moral, aesthetic, intellectual, or spiritual value; noble; exalted

2. inspiring deep veneration, awe, or uplifting emotion because of its beauty, nobility, grandeur, or immensity

3. unparalleled; supreme

   a sublime compliment

4. poetic of proud bearing or aspect

5. archaic raised up

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noun

1. something that is sublime

2. the ultimate degree or perfect example

   the sublime of folly

verb

1. (tr) to make higher or purer

2. to change or cause to change directly from a solid to a vapour or gas without first melting

   to sublime iodine

   many mercury salts sublime when heated

3. to undergo or cause to undergo this process followed by a reverse change directly from a vapour to a solid

   to sublime iodine onto glass

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sublimeness
  noun
• sublimer
  noun
• sublimity
  noun
• unsublimed
  adjective
• sublimely
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sublimes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sublime

First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the noun and adjective) from Latin sublīmis “high,” equivalent to sub- sub- + an element of uncertain origin, variously identified with līmen “lintel, threshold” or līmus “askew, aslant”; (for the verb) ultimately derivative of sublīmis

Explanation

In common use, sublime is an adjective meaning "awe-inspiringly grand, excellent, or impressive," like the best chocolate fudge sundae you've ever had. You might describe a spine-tingling piece of music as "a work of sublime beauty." With the, the word also functions as a noun meaning "something that strikes the mind with a sense of grandeur or power": "Never need an American look beyond his own country for the sublime and beautiful of natural scenery," wrote Washington Irving. The beauty of music or nature can be awe-inspiring, but sublime is also useful for describing everything from an impressive serve in tennis to a jaw-droppingly good taste sensation.

Example Sentences

Sublimed, this delivers a pressure of 1,000 Ib. per sq. in., which is stepped down by control valves to 250 Ib. before being applied to the water hose.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sublimed Gould In Oyster Bay, L. I. one evening last week Edwin Gould, 67, after a quiet game of bridge with wife and friends, went to his room, began to undress, suddenly cried out.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sublimed white lead, however, which is also a soft pigment, chalked even more progressively than corroded white lead, but its surface was not rough, and presented a very white appearance.

From Paint Technology and Tests by Gardner, Henry A.

Sublimed into imponderable vapour, I mingle and am lost in the endless foods of those vast globular volumes of vaporous mists, which roll upon their flaming orbits through infinite space.

From A Journey to the Interior of the Earth by Verne, Jules

Ador.The loving is Sublimed within them by the sorrowful.

From The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Vol. I by Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

Related Words

• abstract
• divine
• exalted
• glorious
• gorgeous
• heavenly
• superb
• transcendent