exorcise (redirected from exorcises)

ex·or·cise  (ksôr-sz, -sr-)

tr.v. ex·or·cised, ex·or·cis·ing, ex·or·cis·es

1. To expel (an evil spirit) by or as if by incantation, command, or prayer.

2. To free from evil spirits or malign influences.

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[Middle English exorcisen, from Late Latin exorcizre, from Greek exorkizein : ex-, out of; see exo- + horkizein, to make one swear (from horkos, oath).]

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exor·ciser n.

Word History: An oath is to be found at the etymological heart of exorcise, a term going back to the Greek word exorkizein, meaning "to swear in," "to take an oath by," "to conjure," and "to exorcise." Exorkizein in turn is formed from the prefix ex-, "thoroughly," and the verb horkizein, "to make one swear, administer an oath to," derived from horkos, "oath." Our word exorcise is first recorded in English in a work composed possibly before the beginning of the 15th century, and in this use exorcise means "to call up or conjure spirits" rather than "to drive out spirits," a sense first recorded in 1546.

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

exorcise - expel through adjuration or prayers; "exorcise evil spirits" exorcize organized religion, religion, faith - an institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him" eject, turf out, boot out, chuck out, exclude, turn out - put out or expel from a place; "The unruly student was excluded from the game"

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exorcise or exorcize

verb 1. drive out, expel, cast out, adjure

2. purify, free, cleanse