SACRIFICE
sacrifice
(noun) (baseball) an out that advances the base runners
forfeit, forfeiture, sacrifice
(noun) the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.
sacrifice, ritual killing
(noun) the act of killing (an animal or person) in order to propitiate a deity
sacrifice
(noun) personnel that are sacrificed (e.g., surrendered or lost in order to gain an objective)
sacrifice
(noun) a loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value; “he had to sell his car at a considerable sacrifice”
sacrifice
(verb) kill or destroy; “The animals were sacrificed after the experiment”; “The general had to sacrifice several soldiers to save the regiment”
sacrifice
(verb) make a sacrifice of; in religious rituals
sacrifice, give
(verb) endure the loss of; “He gave his life for his children”; “I gave two sons to the war”
sacrifice
(verb) sell at a loss
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
sacrifice (third-person singular simple present sacrifices, present participle sacrificing, simple past and past participle sacrificed)
(ambitransitive) To offer (something) as a gift to a deity.
(transitive) To give away (something valuable) to get at least a possibility of gaining something else of value (such as self-respect, trust, love, freedom, prosperity), or to avoid an even greater loss.
(transitive) To trade (a value of higher worth) for something of lesser worth in order to gain something else valued more, such as an ally or business relationship, or to avoid an even greater loss; to sell without profit to gain something other than money.
(transitive, chess) To intentionally give up (a piece) in order to improve one’s position on the board.
(transitive, baseball) To advance (a runner on base) by batting the ball so it can be caught or fielded, placing the batter out, but with insufficient time to put the runner out.
(dated, tradesmen's slang) To sell at a price less than the cost or actual value.
To destroy; to kill.
Synonyms
• (to offer to a deity): Molochize
• (to sell without profit): sell at a loss
Noun
sacrifice (countable and uncountable, plural sacrifices)
The offering of anything to a god; a consecratory rite.
The destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else; the devotion of something desirable to something higher, or to a calling deemed more pressing.
Something sacrificed.
A loss of profit.
(slang, dated) A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value.
Source: Wiktionary
Sac"ri*fice, n. Etym: [OE. sacrifise, sacrifice, F. sacrifice, fr. L.
sacrificium; sacer sacer + facere to make. See Sacred, and Fact.]
1. The offering of anything to God, or to a god; consecratory rite.
Great pomp, and sacrifice, and praises loud, To Dagon. Milton.
2. Anything consecrated and offered to God, or to a divinity; an
immolated victin, or an offering of any kind, laid upon an altar, or
otherwise presented in the way of religious thanksgiving, atonement,
or conciliation.
Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood Of human sacrifice. Milton.
My life, if thou preserv's my life, Thy sacrifice shall be. Addison.
3. Destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something
else; devotion of some desirable object in behalf of a higher object,
or to a claim deemed more pressing; hence, also, the thing so devoted
or given up; as, the sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of
pleasure to interest.
4. A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value.
[Tradesmen's Cant] Burnt sacrifice. See Burnt offering, under Burnt.
– Sacrifice hit (Baseball), in batting, a hit of such a kind that
the batter loses his chance of tallying, but enables one or more who
are on bases to get home or gain a base.
Sac"ri*fice, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sacrificed (; p. pr. & vb. n.
Sacrificing (.] Etym: [From Sacrifice, n.: cf. F. sacrifier, L.
sacrificare; sacer sacred, holy + -ficare (only in comp.) to make.
See -fy.]
1. To make an offering of; to consecrate or present to a divinity by
way of expiation or propitiation, or as a token acknowledgment or
thanksgiving; to immolate on the altar of God, in order to atone for
sin, to procure favor, or to express thankfulness; as, to sacrifice
an ox or a sheep.
Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid. Milton.
2. Hence, to destroy, surrender, or suffer to be lost, for the sake
of obtaining something; to give up in favor of a higher or more
imperative object or duty; to devote, with loss or suffering.
Condemned to sacrifice his childish years To babbling ignorance, and
to empty fears. Prior.
The Baronet had sacrificed a large sum . . . for the sake of . . .
making this boy his heir. G. Eliot.
3. To destroy; to kill. Johnson.
4. To sell at a price less than the cost or the actual value.
[Tradesmen's Cant]
Sac"ri*fice, v. i.
Definition: To make offerings to God, or to a deity, of things consumed on
the altar; to offer sacrifice.
O teacher, some great mischief hath befallen To that meek man, who
well had sacrificed. Milton.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition