Passion PAS'SION, n. [L. passio, from patior, to suffer.] 1. The
impression or effect of an external agent upon a body; that which is
suffered or received. A body at rest affords us no idea of any
active power to move, and when set in motion, it is rather a passion
than an action in it. 2. Susceptibility of impressions from external
agents. The differences of moldable and not moldable, etc., and
many other passions of matter, are plebeian notions. [Little used.]
3. Suffering; emphatically, the last suffering of the Savior. To
whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible
proofs. Acts 1. 4. The feeling of the mind, or the sensible effect of
impression; excitement, perturbation or agitation of mind; as desire,
fear, hope,joy, grief,love, hatred. The eloquence of the orator is
employed to move the passions. 5. Violent agitation or excitement
of mind, particularly such as is occasioned by an offense, injury or
insult; hence, violent anger. 6. Zeal; ardor; vehement desire.
When statesmen are ruled by faction and interest, they can have no passion
for the glory of their country. 7. Love. He owned his passion for
Amestris. 8. Eager desire; as a violent passion for fine clothes. PAS'SION, v.i. To be extremely agitated. [Not used.]
passion
n 1: a strong feeling or emotion [syn: passion,
passionateness]
2: the trait of being intensely emotional [syn: heat,
warmth, passion]
3: something that is desired intensely; "his rage for fame
destroyed him" [syn: rage, passion]
4: an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action
[syn: mania, passion, cacoethes]
5: a feeling of strong sexual desire
6: any object of warm affection or devotion; "the theater was
her first love"; "he has a passion for cock fighting"; [syn:
love, passion]
7: the suffering of Jesus at the Crucifixion [syn: Passion,
Passion of Christ]
passion nounEtymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin
passion-, passio suffering, being acted upon, from Latin pati
to suffer — more at patientDate: 13th century 1.often capitalizeda. the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and
his death b. an oratorio based on a gospel narrative of the Passion
2.obsoletesuffering3. the state or capacity of
being acted on by external agents or forces 4.a.(1)emotion <his ruling passion is greed>
(2)plural the emotions as distinguished from reason
b. intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction c.
an outbreak of anger
5.a. ardent affection ;loveb. a strong
liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept
c. sexual desire d. an object of desire or deep interest
• passionlessadjective Synonyms:passion, fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, zeal mean intense emotion
compelling action. passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring
or ungovernable <was a slave to his passions>. fervor
implies a warm and steady emotion <read the poem aloud with great
fervor>. ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to
be fitful or short-lived <the ardor of their honeymoon soon
faded>. enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration
for a proposal, cause, or activity <never showed much enthusiasm
for sports>. zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an
aim or devotion to a cause <preaches with fanatical zeal>.
Synonym:see in additionfeeling.
passion n. 1 strong barely controllable emotion. 2 an outburst of anger (flew into a passion). 3 intense sexual love. 4 a strong enthusiasm (has a passion for football). b an object
arousing this. 5 (the Passion) a Relig. the suffering of Christ during his last days. b a narrative of this from the Gospels. c a musical setting of any of these narratives. Phrases and
idioms: passion-flower any climbing plant of the genus Passiflora, with a flower that was supposed to suggest the instruments of the Crucifixion. passion-fruit the edible fruit of some species
of passion-flower, esp. Passiflora edulis: also called GRANADILLA. passion-play a miracle play representing Christ's Passion. Passion Sunday the fifth Sunday in Lent. Passion Week 1 the week
between Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday. 2 = Holy Week. Derivatives: passionless adj. Etymology: ME f. OF f. LL passio -onis f. L pati pass- suffer
passion
(passions)Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1. Passion is strong sexual feelings towards someone.
...my passion for a dark-haired, slender boy named James....the expression of love and passion.N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl
2. Passion is a very strong feeling about something or a strong belief in something.
He spoke with great passion.N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl
3. If you have a passion for something, you have a very strong interest in it and like
it very much.
She had a passion for gardening...N-COUNT: usu with supp
passion
ˈpæʃən n. 1 strong barely controllable emotion. 2 an outburst of
anger (flew into a passion). 3 intense sexual love. 4 a strong enthusiasm
(has a passion for football). b an object arousing this. 5 (the Passion) a
Relig. the suffering of Christ during his last days. b a narrative of this from
the Gospels. c a musical setting of any of these narratives. øpassion-flower
any climbing plant of the genus Passiflora, with a flower that was supposed
to suggest the instruments of the Crucifixion. passion-fruit the edible
fruit of some species of passion-flower, esp. Passiflora edulis: also called
GRANADILLA. passion-play a miracle play representing Christ's Passion. Passion
Sunday the fifth Sunday in Lent. Passion Week 1 the week between Passion
Sunday and Palm Sunday. 2 = Holy Week. øøpassionless adj. [ME f. OF f. LL
passio -onis f. L pati pass- suffer]
PASSION
Take heed lest passion sway
Thy judgment to do aught, which else free will
Would not admit.
Paradise Lost, Bk. VIII. MILTON.
In men, we various ruling passions find;
In women two almost divide the kind;
Those only fixed, they first or last obey,
The love of pleasure, and the love of sway.
Moral Essays, Epistle II. A. POPE.
Passions are likened best to floods and streams,
The shallow murmur, but the deep are dumb.
The Silent Lover. SIR W. RALEIGH.
A little fire is quickly trodden out;
Which, being suffered, rivers cannot quench.
Henry VI., Pt. III. Act iv. Sc. 8 SHAKESPEARE.
The ruling passion, be it what it will,
The ruling passion conquers reason still.
* * * * *
Hear then the truth: 'Tis Heav'n each passion sends,
And different men directs to different ends.
Extremes in nature equal good produce;
Extremes in man concur to general use.
Moral Essays, Epistle III. A. POPE.
And hence one master passion in the breast,
Like Aaron's serpent, swallows up the rest.
Essay on Man, Epistle II. A. POPE.
Passion
Fountain heads and pathless groves,
Places which pale passion loves.
JOHN FLETCHER: The Nice Valour, Act iii., Sc. 3.
Passions are likened best to floods and streams:
The shallow murmur, but the deep are dumb.
SIR WALTER RALEIGH: Silent Lover.
Passion \Pas"sion\, n. [F., fr. L. passio, fr. pati, passus, to
suffer. See Patient.]
1. A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any
suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion);
specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of
the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the
cross. ``The passions of this time.'' --Wyclif (Rom. viii.
18).
To whom also he showed himself alive after his
passion, by many infallible proofs. --Acts i. 3.
2. The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external
agent or influence; a passive condition; -- opposed to
action.
A body at rest affords us no idea of any active
power to move, and, when set is motion, it is rather
a passion than an action in it. --Locke.
3. Capacity of being affected by external agents;
susceptibility of impressions from external agents. [R.]
Moldable and not moldable, scissible and not
scissible, and many other passions of matter.
--Bacon.
4. The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and
influenced by something external to itself; the state of
any particular faculty which, under such conditions,
becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any
emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a
state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or
inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of
being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of
love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear,
etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should
have passion as well as rhetorical skill. ``A passion fond
even to idolatry.'' --Macaulay. ``Her passion is to seek
roses.'' --Lady M. W. Montagu.
We also are men of like passions with you. --Acts
xiv. 15.
The nature of the human mind can not be sufficiently
understood, without considering the affections and
passions, or those modifications or actions of the
mind consequent upon the apprehension of certain
objects or events in which the mind generally
conceives good or evil. --Hutcheson.
The term passion, and its adverb passionately, often
express a very strong predilection for any pursuit,
or object of taste -- a kind of enthusiastic
fondness for anything. --Cogan.
The bravery of his grief did put me Into a towering
passion. --Shak.
The ruling passion, be it what it will, The ruling
passion conquers reason still. --Pope.
Who walked in every path of human life, Felt every
passion. --Akenside.
When statesmen are ruled by faction and interest,
they can have no passion for the glory of their
country. --Addison.
5. Disorder of the mind; madness. [Obs.] --Shak.
6. Passion week. See Passion week, below. --R. of Gl.
Passion flower (Bot.), any flower or plant of the genus
Passiflora; -- so named from a fancied resemblance of
parts of the flower to the instruments of our Savior's
crucifixion.
Note: The flowers are showy, and the fruit is sometimes
highly esteemed (see Granadilla, and Maypop). The
roots and leaves are generally more or less noxious,
and are used in medicine. The plants are mostly tendril
climbers, and are commonest in the warmer parts of
America, though a few species are Asiatic or
Australian.
Passion music (Mus.), originally, music set to the gospel
narrative of the passion of our Lord; after the
Reformation, a kind of oratorio, with narrative, chorals,
airs, and choruses, having for its theme the passion and
crucifixion of Christ.
Passion play, a mystery play, in which the scenes connected
with the passion of our Savior are represented
dramatically.
Passion Sunday (Eccl.), the fifth Sunday in Lent, or the
second before Easter.
Passion Week, the last week but one in Lent, or the second
week preceding Easter. ``The name of Passion week is
frequently, but improperly, applied to Holy Week.''
--Shipley.
Syn: Passion, Feeling, Emotion.
Usage: When any feeling or emotion completely masters the
mind, we call it a passion; as, a passion for music,
dress, etc.; especially is anger (when thus extreme)
called passion. The mind, in such cases, is considered
as having lost its self-control, and become the
passive instrument of the feeling in question.
Passion \Pas"sion\, v. i.
To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be
extremely agitated. [Obs.] ``Dumbly she passions, frantically
she doteth.'' --Shak.
passion
ˈpæʃən n.
1 Often, passions. ardour, ardency, eagerness, intensity, fervour, fervency, fervidness,
zeal, zealousness, avidity, avidness, zest, zestfulness, vivacity, vivaciousness, gusto, verve,
emotion, feeling, animation, spirit, spiritedness, vigour, enthusiasm, eagerness; zealotry,
fanaticism, feverishness: The passions of the mob are uncontrollable. Passion and prejudice
govern the world. Passions ran high at the political convention.
2 fit, outburst, frenzy, paroxysm, seizure, spasm, convulsion, eruption, whirlwind,
tempest, storm, ferment, fury, furore or US furor: Henry fell on his knees in a passion of grief.
3 infatuation, mania, obsession, craze, craving, lust, (unquenchable) thirst, (insatiable)
hunger, itch, yearning, longing, desire, concupiscence, love, affection, enthusiasm, compulsion,
fondness, predilection, keenness, fancy, fascination, partiality, liking, interest, weakness,
Colloq yen: Would the world be a better place if the passion for spiritual values were as great
as for material things? She has a passion for chocolates.
4 love, heart's desire, beloved, idol, hero or heroine, obsession, Colloq heartthrob,
dream-girl or dream-boy: He may not look much to you but he is the passion of every teenage girl.
5 Usually, Passion. pain, suffering, agony, martyrdom: Christ underwent his Passion
at Calvary.
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