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tr.v. sanc·ti·fied, sanc·ti·fy·ing, sanc·ti·fies 1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate: The preacher sanctified the ground as a cemetery. 2. To make holy; purify: They felt the spirit had descended and sanctified their hearts. They sanctified the body with holy oil. 3. To give religious sanction to, as with an oath or vow: The wedding ceremony sanctifies the marriage. 4. To give social or moral sanction to: "The only books I wanted to read as a teenager were those sanctified by my elders and betters" (David Eggers). [Middle English seintefien, sanctifien, from Old French saintifier, from Late Latin sānctificāre : Latin sānctus, holy, from past participle of sancīre, to consecrate; see sak- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin -ficāre, -fy.] sanc′ti·fi·cation (-fĭ-kāshən) n. sancti·fi′er n. |
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