PROFANELY

profanely

(adverb) in an irreverent or profane manner; “he kept wondering profanely why everything bad happened to him”

profanely

(adverb) with curses; “muttering profanely”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

profanely (comparative more profanely, superlative most profanely)

In a profane manner, irreverently, with marked disrespect for the sacred.

Source: Wiktionary


Pro*fane"ly, adv.

Definition: In a profane manner. The character of God profanely impeached. Dr. T. Dwight.

PROFANE

Pro*fane", a. Etym: [F., fr. L. profanus, properly, before the temple, i. e., without the temple, unholy; pro before + fanum temple. See 1st Fane.]

1. Not sacred or holy; not possessing peculiar sanctity; unconsecrated; hence, relating to matters other than sacred; secular;

– opposed to sacred, religious, or inspired; as, a profane place. "Profane authors." I. Disraeli. The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine. Gibbon.

2. Unclean; impure; polluted; unholy. Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things. Sir W. Raleigh.

3. Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; irreverent; impious. Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a profane person, word, oath, or tongue. 1 Tim. i. 9.

Syn.

– Secular; temporal; worldly; unsanctified; unhallowed; unholy; irreligious; irreverent; ungodly; wicked; godless; impious. See Impious.

Pro*fane", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Profaned; p. pr. & vb. n. Profaning.] Etym: [L. profanare: cf. F. profaner. See Profane, a.]

1. To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Scriptures, or the ordinance of God. The priests in the temple profane the sabbath. Matt. xii. 5.

2. To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile. So idly to profane the precious time. Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

2 May 2025

MINESHAFT

(noun) excavation consisting of a vertical or sloping passageway for finding or mining ore or for ventilating a mine


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the most massive cup of coffee contained 22,739.14 liters and was created by Alcaldía Municipal de Chinchiná (Colombia) at Parque de Bolívar, Chinchiná, Caldas, Colombia, on 15 June 2019. Fifty people worked for more than a month to build this giant cup. The drink prepared was Arabic coffee.

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