commination
Americannoun
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a threat of punishment or vengeance.
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a denunciation.
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(in the Church of England) a penitential office read on Ash Wednesday in which God's anger and judgments are proclaimed against sinners.
noun
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the act or an instance of threatening punishment or vengeance
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Church of England a recital of prayers, including a list of God's judgments against sinners, in the office for Ash Wednesday
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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 George Robert Aberigh-Mackay
Nowhere, however, in this Epistle is there any trace of an established ministry; on the contrary, at the close, the 'spiritual' among them are instructed to administer the office of commination.
From Supernatural Religion, Vol. III. (of III) An Inquiry into the Reality of Divine Revelation by Walter Richard Cassels
Annabel Cleeve now contributed her little damnatory verse to the commination service.
From The Claw by Cynthia Stockley
There was more than unveiling of the weakness of any human policy or party; the letter was in part a commination of individual conduct.
From Lewis Rand by Mary Johnston
His method is to ask at once more than human nature can be expected to give, and then pour out a whole commination service of anathemas when his demands are not complied with.
From Great Britain's Sea Policy A Reply to an American Critic reprinted from 'The Atlantic Monthly' by Gilbert Murray
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