from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sabbath \Sab"bath\, n. [OE. sabat, sabbat, F. sabbat, L.
sabbatum, Gr. sa`bbaton, fr. Heb. shabb[=a]th, fr. sh[=a]bath
to rest from labor. Cf. {Sabbat}.]
1. A season or day of rest; one day in seven appointed for
rest or worship, the observance of which was enjoined upon
the Jews in the Decalogue, and has been continued by the
Christian church with a transference of the day observed
from the last to the first day of the week, which is
called also {Lord's Day}.
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Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. --Ex. xx.
8.
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2. The seventh year, observed among the Israelites as one of
rest and festival. --Lev. xxv. 4.
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3. Fig.: A time of rest or repose; intermission of pain,
effort, sorrow, or the like.
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Peaceful sleep out the sabbath of the tomb. --Pope.
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{Sabbath breaker}, one who violates the law of the Sabbath.
{Sabbath breaking}, the violation of the law of the Sabbath.
{Sabbath-day's journey}, a distance of about a mile, which,
under Rabbinical law, the Jews were allowed to travel on
the Sabbath.
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Syn: {Sabbath}, {Sunday}.
Usage: Sabbath is not strictly synonymous with Sunday.
Sabbath denotes the institution; Sunday is the name of
the first day of the week. The Sabbath of the Jews is
on Saturday, and the Sabbath of most Christians on
Sunday. In New England, the first day of the week has
been called "the Sabbath," to mark it as holy time;
Sunday is the word more commonly used, at present, in
all parts of the United States, as it is in England.
"So if we will be the children of our heavenly Father,
we must be careful to keep the Christian Sabbath day,
which is the Sunday." --Homilies.
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