baptize

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
20
Words With Friends
22
Letters
7
Pronunciation
/ˈbæptaɪz/
See all 3 pronunciations
/ˈbæptaɪz/ · [ˈbæp.tajz](US) · [bapˈtajz]

Definition of baptize

6 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. (British, English, Oxford, US)To perform the sacrament of baptism by sprinkling or pouring water over someone or immersing them in water.
    “I vvas baptized in thy Cordiall vvater, againſt Original ſinne, and I haue drunke of thy Cordiall Blood, for my recouerie, from actuall, and habituall ſinne, in the other Sacrament.”
See all 6 definitions

verb

  1. (British, English, Oxford, US)To perform the sacrament of baptism by sprinkling or pouring water over someone or immersing them in water.
    “I vvas baptized in thy Cordiall vvater, againſt Original ſinne, and I haue drunke of thy Cordiall Blood, for my recouerie, from actuall, and habituall ſinne, in the other Sacrament.”
  2. (British, English, Oxford, US, figuratively)To Christianize.
    “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. (British, English, Oxford, US)To dedicate or christen.
  4. (British, English, Oxford, US, archaic, slang)Of rum, brandy, or any other spirits, to dilute with water.
    “There's a good tavern nearby where they don't baptize liquor!”
    “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.”
    “The general practice in the West Indies was to baptize, add color, and otherwise adulterate rum to make it appear better.”
  5. (British, English, Oxford, US, slang)To ensure proper burning of a joint by moistening the exterior with saliva.
  6. (British, English, Oxford, US, slang)To extinguish the life of.
    “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!””
    “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)”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

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”).

Hooks

3 extensions · 3 back

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