solemn league and covenant

Solemn \Sol"emn\, a. [OE. solempne, OF. solempne, L. solemnis,
   solennis, sollemnis, sollennis; sollus all, entire + annus a
   year; properly, that takes place every year; -- used
   especially of religious solemnities. Cf. {Silly}, {Annual}.]
   1. Marked with religious rites and pomps; enjoined by, or
      connected with, religion; sacred.
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            His holy rites and solemn feasts profaned. --Milton.
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            The worship of this image was advanced, and a solemn
            supplication observed everry year.    --Bp.
                                                  Stillingfleet.
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   2. Pertaining to a festival; festive; festal. [Obs.] "On this
      solemn day." --Chaucer.
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   3. Stately; ceremonious; grand. [Archaic]
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            His feast so solemn and so rich.      --Chaucer.
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            To-night we hold a splemn supper.     --Shak.
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   4. Fitted to awaken or express serious reflections; marked by
      seriousness; serious; grave; devout; as, a solemn promise;
      solemn earnestness.
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            Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage
            With solemn touches troubled thoughts. --Milton.
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            There reigned a solemn silence over all. --Spenser.
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   5. Real; earnest; downright. [Obs. & R.]
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            Frederick, the emperor, . . . has spared no expense
            in strengthening this city; since which time we find
            no solemn taking it by the Turks.     --Fuller.
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   6. Affectedly grave or serious; as, to put on a solemn face.
      "A solemn coxcomb." --Swift.
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   7. (Law) Made in form; ceremonious; as, solemn war;
      conforming with all legal requirements; as, probate in
      solemn form. --Burrill. --Jarman. --Greenleaf.
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   {Solemn League and Covenant}. See {Covenant}, 2.
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   Syn: Grave; formal; ritual; ceremonial; sober; serious;
        reverential; devotional; devout. See {Grave}.
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League \League\ (l[=e]g), n. [F. ligue, LL. liga, fr. L. ligare
   to bind; cf. Sp. liga. Cf. {Ally} a confederate, {Ligature}.]
   1. An alliance or combination of two or more nations,
      parties, organizations, or persons, for the accomplishment
      of a purpose which requires a continued course of action,
      as for mutual defense, or for furtherance of commercial,
      religious, or political interests, etc.
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            And let there be
            'Twixt us and them no league, nor amity. --Denham.
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   2. Specifically: (Sports) An association of sports teams that
      establishes rules of play, decides questions of membership
      in the league, and organizes matches between the member
      teams. In some cases a sports league is called a
      {conference}, as in the {National Football Conference}.
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   Note: A league may be offensive or defensive, or both;
         offensive, when the parties agree to unite in attacking
         a common enemy; defensive, when they agree to a mutual
         defense of each other against an enemy.
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   {The Holy League}, an alliance of Roman Catholics formed in
      1576 by influence of the Duke of Guise for the exclusion
      of Protestants from the throne of France.

   {Solemn League and Covenant}. See {Covenant},2.

   {The land league}, an association, organized in Dublin in
      1879, to promote the interests of the Irish tenantry, its
      avowed objects being to secure fixity of tenure, fair
      rent, and free sale of the tenants' interest. It was
      declared illegal by Parliament, but vigorous prosecutions
      have failed to suppress it.

   Syn: Alliance; confederacy; confederation; coalition;
        combination; compact; cooperation.
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