from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Paradise \Par"a*dise\ (p[a^]r"[.a]*d[imac]s), n. [OE. & F.
paradis, L. paradisus, fr. Gr. para`deisos park, paradise,
fr. Zend pairida[=e]za an inclosure; pairi around (akin to
Gr. peri`) + diz to throw up, pile up; cf. Skr. dih to smear,
and E. dough. Cf. {Parvis}.]
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1. The garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve were placed
after their creation.
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2. The abode of sanctified souls after death.
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To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. --Luke
xxiii. 43.
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It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise. --Longfellow.
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3. A place of bliss; a region of supreme felicity or delight;
hence, a state of happiness.
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The earth
Shall be all paradise. --Milton.
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Wrapt in the very paradise of some creative vision.
--Beaconsfield.
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4. (Arch.) An open space within a monastery or adjoining a
church, as the space within a cloister, the open court
before a basilica, etc.
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5. A churchyard or cemetery. [Obs.] --Oxf. Gloss.
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{Fool's paradise}. See under {Fool}, and {Limbo}.
{Grains of paradise}. (Bot.) See {Melequeta pepper}, under
{Pepper}.
{Paradise bird}. (Zool.) Same as {Bird of paradise}. Among
the most beautiful species are the superb ({Lophorina
superba}); the magnificent ({Diphyllodes magnifica}); and
the six-shafted paradise bird ({Parotia sefilata}). The
long-billed paradise birds ({Epimachin[ae]}) also include
some highly ornamental species, as the twelve-wired
paradise bird ({Seleucides alba}), which is black, yellow,
and white, with six long breast feathers on each side,
ending in long, slender filaments. See {Bird of paradise}
in the Vocabulary.
{Paradise fish} (Zool.), a beautiful fresh-water Asiatic fish
({Macropodus viridiauratus}) having very large fins. It is
often kept alive as an ornamental fish.
{Paradise flycatcher} (Zool.), any flycatcher of the genus
{Terpsiphone}, having the middle tail feathers extremely
elongated. The adult male of {Terpsiphone paradisi} is
white, with the head glossy dark green, and crested.
{Paradise grackle} (Zool.), a very beautiful bird of New
Guinea, of the genus {Astrapia}, having dark velvety
plumage with brilliant metallic tints.
{Paradise nut} (Bot.), the sapucaia nut. See {Sapucaia nut}.
[Local, U. S.]
{Paradise whidah bird}. (Zool.) See {Whidah}.
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