reverence Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    fear; veneration; awe.
    • the fear of God
    • the Chinese reverence for the dead
    • the French treat food with gentle reverence
    • his respect for the law bordered on veneration
  2. noun a reverent mental attitude
  3. noun an act showing respect (especially a bow or curtsy)
  4. verb regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
    fear; venerate; revere.
    • Fear God as your father
    • We venerate genius

WordNet

Rev"er*ence noun
Etymology
F. révérence, L. reverentia. See Reverent.
Definitions
  1. Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration.
    If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence. Chaucer.
    Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear. Coleridge.
    When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government islost. Bacon.
    ✍ Formerly, as in Chaucer, reverence denoted "respect" "honor", without awe or fear.
  2. The act of revering; a token of respect or veneration; an obeisance.
    Make twenty reverences upon receiving . . . about twopence. Goldsmith.
    And each of them doeth all his diligence To do unto the feast reverence. Chaucer.
  3. That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
    I am forced to lay my reverence by. Shak.
  4. A person entitled to be revered; -- a title applied to priests or other ministers with the pronouns his or your; sometimes poetically to a father. Shak. Syn. -- Awe; honor; veneration; adoratuon; dread. -- Awe, Reverence, Dread, Veneration. Reverence is a strong sentiment of respect and esteem, sometimes mingled slightly with fear; as, reverence for the divine law. Awe is a mixed feeling of sublimity and dread in view of something great or terrible, sublime or sacred; as, awe at the divine presence. It does not necessarily imply love. Dread is an anxious fear in view of an impending evil; as, dread of punishment. Veneration is reverence in its strongest manifestations. It is the highest emotion we can exercise toward human beings. Exalted and noble objects produce reverence; terrific and threatening objects awaken dread; a sense of the divine presence fills us with awe; a union of wisdom and virtue in one who is advanced in years inspires us with veneration.
Rev"er*ence transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Reverenced ; present participle & verbal noun Reverencing
Definitions
  1. To regard or treat with reverence; to regard with respect and affection mingled with fear; to venerate.
    Let . . . the wife see that she reverence her husband. Eph. v. 33.
    Those that I reverence those I fear, the wise. Shak.

Webster 1913