observance

ob·ser·vance  (b-zûrvns)

n.

1. The act or practice of observing or complying with a law, custom, command, or rule.

2. The act or custom of keeping or celebrating a holiday or other ritual occasion.

3. A customary rite or ceremony.

4. The act of watching; observation: "Consider how much intellect was needed in the architect, and how much observance of nature" John Ruskin.

5. Roman Catholic Church The rule governing a religious order.

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observance

Noun

1. the observing of a law or custom

2. a ritual, ceremony, or practice, esp. of a religion

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Observance of hermits: a company of hermits; a religious order, as the Franciscans, who observe and follow a rule—Bk. of St. Albans, 1486.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	observance - the act of observing; taking a patient look watching, observation looking, looking at, look - the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually; "he went out to have a look"; "his look was fixed on her eyes"; "he gave it a good looking at"; "his camera does his looking for him" monitoring - the act of observing something (and sometimes keeping a record of it); "the monitoring of enemy communications plays an important role in war times" sighting - the act of observing; "several sightings of enemy troops were reported" stargazing - observation of the stars
	2.	observance - a formal event performed on a special occasion; "a ceremony commemorating Pearl Harbor" ceremonial, ceremonial occasion, ceremony social function, social occasion, occasion, affair, function - a vaguely specified social event; "the party was quite an affair"; "an occasion arranged to honor the president"; "a seemingly endless round of social functions" circumstance - formal ceremony about important occasions; "pomp and circumstance" funeral - a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated; "hundreds of people attended his funeral" hymeneals, nuptials, wedding, wedding ceremony - the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed pageantry, pageant - a rich and spectacular ceremony dedication - a ceremony in which something (as a building) is dedicated to some goal or purpose opening - a ceremony accompanying the start of some enterprise commemoration, memorialisation, memorialization - a ceremony to honor the memory of someone or something military ceremony - a formal ceremony performed by military personnel induction, initiation, installation - a formal entry into an organization or position or office; "his initiation into the club"; "he was ordered to report for induction into the army"; "he gave a speech as part of his installation into the hall of fame" exercise - (usually plural) a ceremony that involves processions and speeches; "academic exercises" fire walking - the ceremony of walking barefoot over hot stones or a bed of embers formalities, formality - a requirement of etiquette or custom; "a mere formality" Maundy - a public ceremony on Maundy Thursday when the monarch distributes Maundy money potlatch - a ceremonial feast held by some Indians of the northwestern coast of North America (as in celebrating a marriage or a new accession) in which the host gives gifts to tribesmen and others to display his superior wealth (sometimes, formerly, to his own impoverishment)
	3.	observance - the act of noticing or paying attention; "he escaped the notice of the police" notice, observation attending, attention - the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others mind - attention; "don't pay him any mind" remark - explicit notice; "it passed without remark"
	4.	observance - conformity with law or custom or practice etc. honoring abidance, compliance, conformity, conformation - acting according to certain accepted standards; "their financial statements are in conformity with generally accepted accounting practices" punctilio - strict observance of formalities nonobservance - a lack of conformity with law or custom or practice etc.

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observance

noun 1. (with of) carrying out of, attention to, performance of, respect for, notice of, honouring of, observation of, compliance with, adherence to, fulfilment of, discharge of, obedience to, keeping of, heeding of, conformity to << OPPOSITE disregard for

noun 2. ceremony, rite, procedure, service, form, act, practice, tradition, celebration, custom, ritual, formality, ceremonial, ordinance, liturgy

Translations

observance [əbˈzəːvns] n → observancia, cumplimiento (= ritual); práctica;

religious observances → prácticas fpl religiosas

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observance [əbˈzəːvns] n → observance f, observation f;

religious observances → observances religieuses

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observance [əbˈzəːvəns] n [of law etc] → Befolgung f;

religious observances → religiöse Feste pl

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observance [əbˈzəːvns] n → osservanza;

religious observances → pratiche fpl religiose