chalice

American  

[chal-is] / ˈtʃæl ɪs /

noun

1. Ecclesiastical.

   1. a cup for the wine of the Eucharist or Mass.

   2. the wine contained in it.

2. a drinking cup or goblet.

3. a cuplike blossom.

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chalice British  

/ ˈtʃælɪs /

noun

1. poetic a drinking cup; goblet

2. Christianity a gold or silver cup containing the wine at Mass

3. the calyx of a flower, esp a cup-shaped calyx

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Other Word Forms

• chaliced adjective

Etymology

Origin of chalice

before 900; Middle English < Middle French < Latin calici- (stem of calix ) cup; replacing Middle English caliz, calc, Old English calic < Latin calici-, as above

Example Sentences

“You need fire and you need a chalice. To me, that fire is my creativity. It’s my birthright to create. And that chalice is the community that holds me.”

From Los Angeles Times

He once described the prospect of a humiliating cease-fire with Iraq as drinking from a poisoned chalice.

From The Wall Street Journal

She described the move as a "poisoned chalice" that had left her vulnerable to redundancy, the court heard.

From BBC

"In the past, Eurovision was a great honour for so many artists," but now, "it might feel like a poisoned chalice to some".

From Barron's

She was thrilled to be a chalice bearer at the event but said she was stunned by the bishop's behaviour at their first meeting soon afterwards.

From BBC