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Webster 1913 Edition


Prophesy

Proph′e-sy

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Prophesied
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Prophesying
.]
[See
Prophecy
.]
1.
To foretell; to predict; to prognosticate.
He doth not
prophesy
good concerning me.
1 Kings xxii. 8.
Then I perceive that will be verified
Henry the Fifth did sometime
prophesy
.
Shakespeare
2.
To foreshow; to herald; to prefigure.
Methought thy very gait did
prophesy

A royal nobleness; I must embrace thee.
Shakespeare

Proph′e-sy

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To utter predictions; to make declaration of events to come.
Matt. xv. 7.
2.
To give instruction in religious matters; to interpret or explain Scripture or religious subjects; to preach; to exhort; to expound.
Ezek. xxxvii. 7.

Webster 1828 Edition


Prophesy

PROPH'ESY

,
Verb.
T.
To foretell future events; to predict.
I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning
me, but evil. 1 Kings.22.
1.
To foreshow. [Little used.]

PROPH'ESY

,
Verb.
I.
To utter predictions; to make declaration of events to come. Jer.11.
1.
In Scripture, to preach; to instruct in religious doctrines; to interpret or explain Scripture or religious subjects; to exhort. 1 Cor.13. Ezek.37.

Definition 2024


prophesy

prophesy

English

Verb

prophesy (third-person singular simple present prophesies, present participle prophesying, simple past and past participle prophesied)

  1. To speak or write with divine inspiration; to act as prophet. [from 14th c.]
  2. To predict, to foretell. [from 14th c.]
    • Bible, 1 Kings xxii. 8
      He doth not prophesy good concerning me.
    • Shakespeare
      Then I perceive that will be verified / Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy.
    • 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 745:
      ‘It has been prophesied more than once that he will find it.’
  3. To foreshow; to herald; to prefigure.
    • Shakespeare
      Methought thy very gait did prophesy / A royal nobleness; I must embrace thee.
  4. (intransitive, Christianity) To speak out on the Bible as an expression of holy inspiration; to preach. [from 14th c.]

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