unction
English
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
unction (countable and uncountable, plural unctions)
- A salve or ointment.
- 1709, J[ohn] Dryden, J[ohn] Oldham, “(please specify the page)”, in Mac Flecknoe: A Poem. […] With Spencer’s Ghost: Being a Satyr Concerning Poetry. […], London: […] H[enry] Hills, […], →OCLC:
- The king himself the sacred unction made, / As king by office, and as priest by trade.
- A religious or ceremonial anointing.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC:
- To be heir, and to be king / By sacred unction, thy deserved right.
- A balm or something that soothes.
- A quality in language, address or delivery which expresses sober and fervent emotion.
- 1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, chapter 11, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:
- Krook almost smacks his lips with the unction of a horrible interest.
- 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, Sydney: Ure Smith, published 1962, page 223:
- "Well, I'll say this for myself. If there's anything out of order where I'm about, I don't miss it." "I believe you," said Bradly with unction.
- A smug, exaggerated use of language; smarminess.
- Divine or sanctifying grace.
Derived terms
Related terms
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Translations
salve or ointment
religious or ceremonial anointing
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balm or something that soothes
smug use of language
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Anagrams
Scots
Noun
unction (plural unctions)
Related terms
Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₃engʷ-
- English terms borrowed from Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ʌŋkʃən
- Rhymes:English/ʌŋkʃən/2 syllables
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- Scots lemmas
- Scots nouns