Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Church \Church\, n. [OE. chirche, chireche, cherche, Scot. kirk,
from AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw.
kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. ?
the Lord's house, fr. ? concerning a master or lord, fr. ?
master, lord, fr. ? power, might; akin to Skr. [,c][=u]ra
hero, Zend. [,c]ura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf.
{Kirk}.]
1. A building set apart for Christian worship.
2. A Jewish or heathen temple. [Obs.] --Acts xix. 37.
3. A formally organized body of Christian believers
worshiping together. ``When they had ordained them elders
in every church.'' --Acts xiv. 23.
4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed,
observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same
ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman
Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.
5. The collective body of Christians.
6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church
of Brahm.
7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community;
ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array
the power of the church against some moral evil.
Remember that both church and state are properly the
rulers of the people, only because they are their
benefactors. --Bulwer.
Note: Church is often used in composition to denote something
belonging or relating to the church; as, church
authority; church history; church member; church music,
etc.
{Apostolic church}. See under {Apostolic}.
{Broad church}. See {Broad Church}.
{Catholic or Universal} {church}, the whole body of believers
in Christ throughout the world.
{Church of England}, or {English church}, the Episcopal
church established and endowed in England by law.
{Church living}, a benefice in an established church.
{Church militant}. See under {Militant}.
{Church owl} (Zo["o]l.), the white owl. See {Barn owl}.
{Church rate}, a tax levied on parishioners for the
maintenance of the church and its services.
{Church session}. See under {Session}.
{Church triumphant}. See under {Triumphant}.
{Church work}, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work
of a particular church for the spread of religion.
{Established church}, the church maintained by the civil
authority; a state church.