commination

American  

[kom-uh-ney-shuhn] / ˌkɒm əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a threat of punishment or vengeance.

2. a denunciation.

3. (in the Church of England) a penitential office read on Ash Wednesday in which God's anger and judgments are proclaimed against sinners.

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commination British  

/ -trɪ, ˈkɒmɪnətərɪ, ˌkɒmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of threatening punishment or vengeance

2. Church of England a recital of prayers, including a list of God's judgments against sinners, in the office for Ash Wednesday

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Other Word Forms

• comminative adjective
• comminator noun
• comminatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of commination

1400–50; late Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Latin comminātiōn- (stem of comminātīo ), equivalent to commināt ( us ), past participle of comminārī to threaten ( com- com- + minārī to threaten) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

He's cursed me forever—Put it all down in black and white—a regular commination service.

From The Incomplete Amorist by Nesbit, E. (Edith)

Even the bishops and abbots of Norman blood disregarded the commination, and remained staunch to Harold.

From Wulf the Saxon A Story of the Norman Conquest by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

Nature denounces, in her loud commination service, his clammy hand, his restless eye, his sinister and bestial mouth.

From Twenty-One Days in India; and, the Teapot Series by Aberigh-Mackay, George Robert

Until, at last, after one or two heavy falls of his own occasioning, Tom gave it up, spluttered a final commination on his opponent, and turned to go home.

From A Maid of the Silver Sea by Oxenham, John

Then follows a commination at the end, which is not unusual in such cases.

From The Catholic World; Volume I, Issues 1-6 A Monthly Eclectic Magazine by Rameur, E.