baptize

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English baptisen, baptizen, from Old French baptiser, batisier, from Ecclesiastical Latin, Late Latin baptizāre, from Ancient Greek βαπτίζω (baptízō, “to immerse, plunge, baptize”).[1]

Pronunciation

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Verb

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baptize (third-person singular simple present baptizes, present participle baptizing, simple past and past participle baptized) (American spelling, Oxford British English)

  1. (Christianity) To perform the sacrament of baptism by sprinkling or pouring water over someone or immersing them in water.
    Synonyms: christen, full
  2. (figurative) To Christianize.
    • 2000 June 17, Elizabeth A. Johnson, “Mary of Nazareth: Friend of God and Prophet”, in America‎[1], volume 182, number 21:
      Ample evidence for this transfer of divine imagery can be found in early Christian times, when the Mother of God took over the titles, shrines, iconography and power of the great mother goddess of the Mediterranean world. This "baptizing" of pagan imagery was a successful missionary strategy that allowed Christianity to attract peoples accustomed to female deities while still maintaining faith in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit
  3. To dedicate or christen.
  4. (archaic, slang) Of rum, brandy, or any other spirits, to dilute with water.
    • 1965, The Road to Santiago: Pilgrims of St. James, page 194:
      There's a good tavern nearby where they don't baptize liquor!
    • 1973, Robert Speaight, Shakespeare on the Stage:
      In 1833 Charles Kingsley wrote of the Royal Victora Hall in the Waterloo Road as 'a licensed pit of darkness'. The darkness remained unrelieved until, in 1880, Miss Emma Cons took over the lease and baptized the drinks that were served at the bar and the songs that were sung on the stage.
    • 2007, Walter Scott Dunn, Choosing Sides on the Frontier in the American Revolution, →ISBN, page 91:
      The general practice in the West Indies was to baptize, add color, and otherwise adulterate rum to make it appear better.
  5. (slang) To ensure proper burning of a joint by moistening the exterior with saliva.
  6. (slang) To extinguish the life of.
    Synonyms: wax, wet, juice up; see also Thesaurus:kill
    • 2022 April 26, “Bad for Business”, OTM ft. Young Bull (lyrics), 1:21:
      Nigga actin tough on the net, Imma baptize him, .223 shells and he’s shot like I am Mad Ryan
      Put him in a coffin, hold him one year, he is no longer
      Fucking on an opp nigger, bitch he sayin “go longer!”
    • 2023 September 28, “Block Boy”, #Sinsquad Stewie (lyrics)‎[2], 1:58:
      I'm on frontstreet over them sides
      Catch an opp lackin', leave him baptised
      Bro up the Glock, don't freeze
      Big rambo, inject with ease (Wet that)

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ “baptize”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.

Middle English

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Etymology 1

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Noun

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baptize

  1. Alternative form of bapteme

Etymology 2

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Verb

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baptize

  1. Alternative form of baptisen

Portuguese

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Verb

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baptize

  1. inflection of baptizar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative
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