Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sacrifice \Sac"ri*fice\ (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   {Sacrificed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sacrificing}.] [From
   {Sacrifice}, n.: cf. F. sacrifier, L. sacrificare; sacer
   sacred, holy + -ficare (only in comp.) to make. See {-fy}.]
   1. To make an offering of; to consecrate or present to a
      divinity by way of expiation or propitiation, or as a
      token acknowledgment or thanksgiving; to immolate on the
      altar of God, in order to atone for sin, to procure favor,
      or to express thankfulness; as, to sacrifice an ox or a
      sheep.

            Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid. --Milton.

   2. Hence, to destroy, surrender, or suffer to be lost, for
      the sake of obtaining something; to give up in favor of a
      higher or more imperative object or duty; to devote, with
      loss or suffering.

            Condemned to sacrifice his childish years To
            babbling ignorance, and to empty fears. --Prior.

            The Baronet had sacrificed a large sum . . . for the
            sake of . . . making this boy his heir. --G. Eliot.

   3. To destroy; to kill. --Johnson.

   4. To sell at a price less than the cost or the actual value.
      [Tradesmen's Cant]

Sacrifice \Sac"ri*fice\ (?; 277), n. [OE. sacrifise, sacrifice,
   F. sacrifice, fr. L. sacrificium; sacer sacred + facere to
   make. See {Sacred}, and {Fact}.]
   1. The offering of anything to God, or to a god; consecratory
      rite.

            Great pomp, and sacrifice, and praises loud, To
            Dagon.                                --Milton.

   2. Anything consecrated and offered to God, or to a divinity;
      an immolated victim, or an offering of any kind, laid upon
      an altar, or otherwise presented in the way of religious
      thanksgiving, atonement, or conciliation.

            Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood Of human
            sacrifice.                            --Milton.

            My life, if thou preserv'st my life, Thy sacrifice
            shall be.                             --Addison.

   3. Destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of
      something else; devotion of some desirable object in
      behalf of a higher object, or to a claim deemed more
      pressing; hence, also, the thing so devoted or given up;
      as, the sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of pleasure
      to interest.

   4. A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value.
      [Tradesmen's Cant]

   {Burnt sacrifice}. See {Burnt offering}, under {Burnt}.

   {Sacrifice hit} (Baseball), in batting, a hit of such a kind
      that the batter loses his chance of tallying, but enables
      one or more who are on bases to get home or gain a base.

Sacrifice \Sac"ri*fice\, v. i.
   To make offerings to God, or to a deity, of things consumed
   on the altar; to offer sacrifice.

         O teacher, some great mischief hath befallen To that
         meek man, who well had sacrificed.       --Milton.

Source : WordNet®

sacrifice
     n 1: the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for
          a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc. [syn: {forfeit},
           {forfeiture}]
     2: personnel that are sacrificed (e.g., surrendered or lost in
        order to gain an objective)
     3: a loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less
        than its value; "he had to sell his car at a considerable
        sacrifice"
     4: the act of killing (an animal or person) in order to
        propitiate a deity [syn: {ritual killing}]
     5: (sacrifice) an out that advances the base runners

sacrifice
     v 1: endure the loss of; "He gave his life for his children"; "I
          gave two sons to the war" [syn: {give}]
     2: kill or destroy; "The animals were sacrificed after the
        experiment"; "The general had to sacrifice several
        soldiers to save the regiment"
     3: sell at a loss
     4: make a sacrifice of; in religious rituals