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1. Dictionary

   Sac·ri·fice

   /ˈsakrəˌfīs/

   

   noun

   • 1. an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure: "they offer sacrifices to the spirits" Similar ritual slaughterhecatombimmolationofferingoblationself-sacrificeself-immolation
   • ▪ an animal, person, or object offered in a sacrifice. Similar (votive) offeringgiftoblationvictimburnt offering
   • ▪ an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy: "we must all be prepared to make sacrifices" Similar giving upabandonmentsurrenderforegoingrenouncingrenunciationrenouncementforfeiturelossrelinquishmentresignationabdicationsigning awayyieldingcedingwaivingrenunciationrelinquishmentlossself-sacrificesacrifice somethinggive up things
   • ▪ Christ's offering of himself in the Crucifixion.
   • ▪ the Eucharist regarded either (in Catholic terms) as a propitiatory offering of the body and blood of Christ or (in Protestant terms) as an act of thanksgiving.
   • ▪ a move intended to allow the opponent to win a pawn or piece, for strategic or tactical reasons.
   • ▪ a bunted ball that puts the batter out but allows a base runner or runners to advance.
   • ▪ a bid made in the belief that it will be less costly to be defeated in the contract than to allow the opponents to make a contract.

   verb

   • 1. offer or kill as a religious sacrifice: "the goat was sacrificed at the shrine" Similar offer upimmolateslaughter
   • ▪ give up (something important or valued) for the sake of other considerations: "working hard doesn't mean sacrificing your social life" Similar give upabandonsurrenderforgorenounceforfeitrelinquishresignabdicatesign awayyieldcedewaiveprostitutebetray
   • ▪ deliberately allow one's opponent to win (a pawn or piece).
   • ▪ advance (a base runner) by a sacrifice.
   • ▪ make a sacrifice bid.

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin sacrificium; related to sacrificus ‘sacrificial’, from sacer ‘holy’.

   Scrabble Points: 16

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2. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › sacrificeSacrifice - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › sacrifice

   A sacrifice is a loss or something you give up, usually for the sake of a better cause. Parents sacrifice time and sleep to take care of their children, while kids might sacrifice TV time to hang out with mom and dad. Though no longer used only in a religious context, sacrifice comes from the Latin sacra and facere, meaning "to perform sacred ...

3. www.britannica.com › dictionary › sacrificeSacrifice Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

   www.britannica.com › dictionary › sacrifice

   • Cached

   SACRIFICE meaning: 1 : the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone; 2 : an act of killing a person or animal in a religious ceremony as an offering to please a god

4. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishSACRIFICE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   4 days ago · sacrifice in British English. (ˈsækrɪˌfaɪs ) noun. 1. a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil. 2. a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity. 3. a symbolic offering of something to a deity.

5. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishsacrifice noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   sacrifice. the fact of giving up something important or valuable to you in order to get or do something that seems more important; something that you give up in this way. The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality.

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishSACRIFICE | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   to give up something that is valuable to you in order to achieve something: There are thousands of men ready to sacrifice their lives for their country. sacrifice verb [T] (KILL) to kill an animal and offer it to a god in a religious ceremony. (Definition of sacrifice from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

7. www.thefreedictionary.com › sacrificeSacrifice - definition of sacrifice by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › sacrifice

   • Cached

   n. 1. a. The act of offering something to a deity in propitiation or homage, especially the ritual slaughter of an animal or a person. b. A victim offered in this way. 2. a. The act of giving up something highly valued for the sake of something else considered to have a greater value or claim: Social activism often involves tremendous sacrifice. b.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishSACRIFICE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   sacrifice noun [C or U] (GIVING UP) C1. the act of giving up something that is valuable to you in order to help someone else: make a sacrifice We had to make sacrifices in order to pay for our children's education. at great sacrifice They cared for their disabled son for 27 years, at great personal sacrifice.