Ten Commandments

American  

plural noun

1. the precepts spoken by God to Israel, delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai; the Decalogue. Exodus 20:2–17; Deuteronomy 5:6–21. Though the numbering of these commandments may differ in some religions, that which has been followed in this dictionary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

---

Ten Commandments British  

plural noun

1. Also known as: the Decalogue.  Old Testament the commandments summarizing the basic obligations of man towards God and his fellow men, delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai engraved on two tables of stone (Exodus 20:1–17)

---

Ten Commandments Cultural  

1. The commandments engraved on stone tablets and given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. These commandments are the heart of the divine law in the Old Testament. The usual enumeration is: (I) I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt have no other gods before me. (II) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. (III) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. (IV) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (V) Honor thy father and thy mother. (VI) Thou shalt not kill. (VII) Thou shalt not commit adultery. (VIII) Thou shalt not steal. (IX) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. (X) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

---

Usage

What are the Ten Commandments? The Ten Commandments are a set of Judeo-Christian religious rules—very influential to both historic and contemporary morality, ethics, and worship in the West—believed to be sent directly from God to humanity.How is Ten Commandments pronounced?[ ten kuh-mand-muhnts ]What are some other forms related to [Ten Commandments]?10 Commandments

Example Sentences

Known locally as Jabal Musa, Mount Sinai is where Moses is said to have been given the Ten Commandments.

From BBC

It’s kind of like Ramses in the movie “The Ten Commandments” when he says, “Command them to kneel before Pharaoh.”

From Salon

A church warden said it was "ironic" that thieves stole a painting of the Ten Commandments, including text reading "thou shalt not steal", from a church.

From BBC

One of his favorite stories recalls the time actor Charlton Heston, who played Moses in the “Ten Commandments” and later was president of the National Rifle Assn., got him fired as a bus boy.

From Los Angeles Times

She moved to Los Angeles and appeared in films including “The Ten Commandments,” “Lady Sings the Blues” and “The Blues Brothers.”

From Los Angeles Times