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Entry 8 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Church

/(chûrch)/ · IPA /ˈt͡ʃɝt͡ʃ/
01 n. A building set apart for Christian worship.
  1. 1.
    A building set apart for Christian worship.
  2. 2.
    A Jewish or heathen temple.[Obs.]
  3. 3.
    A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together.
  4. 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. 5.
    The collective body of Christians.
  6. 6.
    Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church of Brahm.
  7. 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.
Phrases & compounds
Apostolic church — See under Apostolic.
Broad church — See Broad Church.
Catholic church — the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world.
Church of England — 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 — 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.
02 v. t. To bless according to a prescribed form, or to unite with in publicly returning thanks in church, as after deliverance from the dangers of …
imp. & p. p. Churched; p. pr. & vb. n. Churching
  1. 1.
    To bless according to a prescribed form, or to unite with in publicly returning thanks in church, as after deliverance from the dangers of childbirth; as, the churching of women.