mark of the beast
Americannoun
-
(in the Bible) a physical mark placed on those who worship the Antichrist and are in opposition to God.
-
something taken to be a sign of evil, corruption, or infamy.
The way he talks about the uselessness of politics, you'd think that voting in a national election was the mark of the beast.
Etymology
Origin of mark of the beast
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the last age, Lord Chesterfield set the mark of the beast, as he called it, on certain vulgarisms in pronunciation, which he succeeded in banishing from good company.
From Tales and Novels — Volume 09 by Edgeworth, Maria
Truth causes sin to betray itself, and sets upon 542:9 error the mark of the beast.
From Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures by Eddy, Mary Baker
We therefore now call attention to the very important inquiry, What constitutes the mark of the beast?
From The United States in the Light of Prophecy by Smith, Uriah
But, although the workingmen quickly thereafter repudiated agrarianism, they succeeded only too well in affixing to their movement the mark of the beast in the eyes of their opponents and the general public.
From A History of Trade Unionism in the United States by Perlman, Selig
We are marked with the mark of the beast, the taint of the belly, the inexhaustible source of bestiality.
From Social Life in the Insect World by Miall, Bernard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.