seɪnt n. & v. --n. (abbr. St or S; pl.
Sts or SS) 1 a
holy or (in
some Churches) a canonized
person regarded as having a
place in
heaven. 2 (Saint or St)
the title of a saint or
archangel,
hence the
name of a
church etc. (St Paul's) or (often
with the
loss of the apostrophe) the name of a
town etc. (St Andrews; St Albans). 3 a
very virtuous person; a person of
great real or
affected holiness (would
try the
patience of a saint). 4 a
member of the
company of heaven (with
all the angels
and saints). 5 ( Bibl.,
archaic, and used by Puritans, Mormons, etc.)
one of God's
chosen people; a member of the
Christian Church or one's
own branch of
it. --v.tr. 1
canonize;
admit to the
calendar of saints. 2
call or
regard as a saint. 3 (as sainted adj.)
sacred; of a
saintly life;
worthy to be regarded as a saint. ømy sainted
aunt see AUNT. saint's
day a Church
festival in
memory of a saint . øøsaintdom n. sainthood n. saintlike adj. saintling n. saintship n. [ME f. OF seint, saint f. L
sanctus holy,
past part. of sancire consecrate]
