Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Either of two small leather boxes, each containing strips of parchment inscribed with quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures, traditionally worn strapped to the forehead and the left arm by Jewish men during morning worship, except on the Sabbath and holidays.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun See also
tephillin . - noun A charm or amulet.
- noun Specifically
- noun In Jewish antiquity, an amulet consisting of a strip or strips of parchment inscribed with certain texts from the Old Testament, and inclosed within a small leather case, which was fastened with straps on the forehead just above and between the eyes, or on the left arm near the region of the heart. The four passages inscribed upon the phylactery were Ex. xiii. 2-10, 11-17, and Deut. vi. 4-9, 13-22. The custom was founded on a literal interpretation of Ex. xiii. 16, and Deut. vi. 8 and xi. 18.
- noun Among the primitive Christians, etc., a case in which were inclosed relics of the saints.
- noun Synonyms See defs. of amulet, talisman, and mezuzah.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Any charm or amulet worn as a preservative from danger or disease.
- noun A small square box, made either of parchment or of black calfskin, containing slips of parchment or vellum on which are written the scriptural passages Exodus xiii. 2-10, and 11-17, Deut. vi. 4-9, 13-22. They are worn by Jews on the head and left arm, on week-day mornings, during the time of prayer.
- noun Among the primitive Christians, a case in which the relics of the dead were inclosed.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Judaism Either of the two small leather cases, containing
biblical scrolls , worn byJewish men at morning prayer; thetefilla . - noun Any small object
worn for itsmagical orsupernatural power; anamulet orcharm .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun (Judaism) either of two small leather cases containing texts from the Hebrew Scriptures (known collectively as tefillin); traditionally worn (on the forehead and the left arm) by Jewish men during morning prayer
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Those ribbons got the name of phylactery, borrowed from the Greek word for the containers for small scrolls of Hebrew scripture.
Archive 2008-01-01 2008
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The word phylactery comes from a word signifying to keep, preserve, or guard.
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These characters, who have descended without interruption from a numerous family in the days of our Saviour, are here so accurately delineated – the very cut of the phylactery is so well observed – that we should reckon it one of the most useful parts of the present work, were it not for the strange concession which is made to them in the same breath.
Autobiography and Other Memorials of Mrs. Gilbert, Formerly Ann Taylor 1874
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[53] A phylactery is a writing bound upon the forehead, containing something to be kept constantly in mind.
Christian Morals 1605-1682 1863
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Authorities say US Airways express flight 3079 from LaGuardia to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia International Airport after a 17-year-old male strapped on a "tefillin," also known as a phylactery, used in the Jewish religion for prayer purposes.
CBS 2 - KCAL 9 - Los Angeles - Southern California - LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports 2010
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Authorities say US Airways express flight 3079 from LaGuardia to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia International Airport after a 17-year-old male strapped on a "tefillin," also known as a phylactery, used in the Jewish religion for prayer purposes.
KDKA - Pittsburgh's Source for Breaking News, Weather and Sports 2010
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Authorities say US Airways express flight 3079 from LaGuardia to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia International Airport after a 17-year-old male strapped on a "tefillin," also known as a phylactery, used in the Jewish religion for prayer purposes.
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Authorities say US Airways express flight 3079 from LaGuardia to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia International Airport after a 17-year-old male strapped on a "tefillin," also known as a phylactery, used in the Jewish religion for prayer purposes.
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Authorities say US Airways express flight 3079 from LaGuardia to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia International Airport after a 17-year-old male strapped on a "tefillin," also known as a phylactery, used in the Jewish religion for prayer purposes.
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The incident arose when the man used a phylactery, a small black box Orthodox Jews strap to their head as part of their rituals, police said.
evin290 commented on the word phylactery
Billy, put down that phylactery! We're Episcopalian!
August 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word phylactery
Haha!
August 10, 2007
uselessness commented on the word phylactery
I only only know this word from one place, one of my favorite parts of the Bible...
"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
"'Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them "Rabbi."
"'But you are not to be called "Rabbi," for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth "father," for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called "teacher," for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.'" (Matthew 23)
August 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word phylactery
Hey, that's one of my favorites too! :-)
August 10, 2007
slumry commented on the word phylactery
I think I first read about phylacteries in Chaim Potok's novels. So many books, so little time!
August 10, 2007
oroboros commented on the word phylactery
But wait! Don't we have all the time in the world? NOW is pretty spacious, don'tcha know. The trick is to be able to do NOW things at once. See omnitaneity.
August 11, 2007
yarb commented on the word phylactery
There are in this library some very good books, left as a never-failing phylactery against the blue devils, when our gardens despoiled of Flora's treasure, and our woods of their leafy honours, shall no longer challenge those miscreant invaders to combat in the forest or the bower.
- Lesage, The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, tr. Smollett, bk 10 ch. 7
October 9, 2008
qms commented on the word phylactery
While most of us worship distractedly,
We pray and are done with alacrity,
Your earnest ascetic,
Blessed but aesthetic,
Accessorizes with a phylactery.
March 17, 2014