unction

4 definitions found

unction - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Unction \Unc"tion\, n. [OE. unccioun, uncioun, OF. oncion,
     onction, F. onction, fr. L. unctio, fr. ungere, unctum, to
     anoint. See Unguent.]
     1. The act of anointing, smearing, or rubbing with an
        unguent, oil, or ointment, especially for medical
        purposes, or as a symbol of consecration; as, mercurial
        unction.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              To be heir, and to be king
              By sacred unction, thy deserved right. --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. That which is used for anointing; an unguent; an ointment;
        hence, anything soothing or lenitive.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The king himself the sacred unction made. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Lay not that flattering unction to your soul.
                                                    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Divine or sanctifying grace. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. That quality in language, address, or the like, which
        excites emotion; especially, strong devotion; religious
        fervor and tenderness; sometimes, a simulated, factitious,
        or unnatural fervor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The delightful equivoque and unction of the passage
              in Farquhar.                          --Hazlitt.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The mention of thy glory
              Is unction to the breast.             --Neale
                                                    (Rhythm of St.
                                                    Bernard).
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Extreme unction (R. C. Ch. & Gr. Ch.), the sacrament of
        anointing in the last hours; the application of
        consecrated oil by a priest to all the senses, that is, to
        eyes, ears, nostrils, etc., of a person when in danger of
        death from illness, -- done for remission of sins. [James
        v. 14, 15.]
        [1913 Webster]

unction - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  unction
      n 1: excessive but superficial compliments given with affected
           charm [syn: unction, smarm, fulsomeness]
      2: smug self-serving earnestness [syn: fulsomeness,
         oiliness, oleaginousness, smarminess, unctuousness,
         unction]
      3: semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied
         externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation [syn:
         ointment, unction, unguent, balm, salve]
      4: anointing as part of a religious ceremony or healing ritual
         [syn: unction, inunction]

unction - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Unction
  (1 John 2:20,27; R.V., "anointing"). Kings, prophets, and
  priests were anointed, in token of receiving divine grace. All
  believers are, in a secondary sense, what Christ was in a
  primary sense, "the Lord's anointed."

unction - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  79 Moby Thesaurus words for "unction":
     Tartuffery, Tartuffism, affectation, anointment, balm, balsam,
     brilliantine, cant, cerate, chrism, chrismal, chrismation,
     chrismatory, chrisom, cold cream, collyrium, cream, demulcent,
     embrocation, emollient, extreme unction, eye-lotion, eyewash,
     eyewater, face cream, false piety, falseness, flattering tongue,
     goody-goodiness, greasing, gush, hand lotion, hypocrisy,
     insincerity, inunction, inunctum, lanolin, last rites, lenitive,
     liniment, lotion, lubricating, lubrication, lubrification,
     mealymouthedness, mummery, nard, oil, oiliness, oiling, ointment,
     pharisaicalness, pharisaism, pietism, pietisticalness, piety,
     piousness, pomade, pomatum, religionism, religiosity,
     sacramental anointment, sacred unction, salve, sanctimoniousness,
     sanctimony, self-righteousness, slobber, smarm, snivel, snuffle,
     soothing syrup, spikenard, that flattering unction, unctuousness,
     unguent, unguentum, viaticum, vulnerary