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Synonyms

burnt offering

American  

noun

  1. an offering burnt upon an altar in sacrifice to a deity.


burnt offering British  

noun

  1. a sacrificial offering burnt, usually on an altar, to honour, propitiate, or supplicate a deity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of burnt offering

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

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 superb season finale, Kendall is like a burnt offering kindling an unexpected sea of flames.

From The New Yorker • Dec. 10, 2019

But this novel is not simply a burnt offering, a Baedeker of dread and decay.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2017

As though the sheer bulk of that paper would deter me from putting it back in my wallet, and, defeated, I’d simply leave it there for you like a burnt offering on your sticky altar.

From New York Times • Feb. 26, 2010

If he does, his friends assure him he .will not be a burnt offering on the altar of the national ticket.

From Time Magazine Archive

Instead, you enlarge on it—positively drape it in visionary attributes, and offer yourself as a sort of burnt offering to it.

From Paddy-The-Next-Best-Thing by Page, Gertrude

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