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Entry 5 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Reverence

/rĕv'-ẽr-əns/ · Rev·er·ence · IPA /ˈɹɛv.ə.ɹəns/
01 n. Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration.
  1. 1.
    Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration.
    “If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence.” — Chaucer.
    “Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear.” — Coleridge.
    “When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government islost.” — Bacon.
  2. 2.
    The act of revering; a token of respect or veneration; an obeisance.
    “Make twenty reverences upon receiving . . . about twopence.” — Goldsmith.
    “And each of them doeth all his diligence To do unto the feast reverence.” — Chaucer.
  3. 3.
    That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
    “I am forced to lay my reverence by.” — Shak.
  4. 4.
    A person entitled to be revered; -- a title applied to priests or other ministers with the pronouns his or your; sometimes poetically to a father.
    “Such a one as a man may not speak of, without he say. “Sir reverence.”” — Shak.
    “Now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence.” — Shak.
Syn. Awe; honor; veneration; adoration; dread.
-- Awe, Reverence, Dread, Veneration. Reverence is a strong sentiment of respect and esteem, sometimes mingled slightly with fear; as, reverence for the divine law. Awe is a mixed feeling of sublimity and dread in view of something great or terrible, sublime or sacred; as, awe at the divine presence. It does not necessarily imply love. Dread is an anxious fear in view of an impending evil; as, dread of punishment. Veneration is reverence in its strongest manifestations. It is the highest emotion we can exercise toward human beings. Exalted and noble objects produce reverence; terrific and threatening objects awaken dread; a sense of the divine presence fills us with awe; a union of wisdom and virtue in one who is advanced in years inspires us with veneration.
02 v. t. To regard or treat with reverence; to regard with respect and affection mingled with fear; to venerate.
imp. & p. p. Reverenced; p. pr. & vb. n. Reverencing
  1. 1.
    To regard or treat with reverence; to regard with respect and affection mingled with fear; to venerate.
    “Let . . . the wife see that she reverence her husband.” — Eph. v. 33.
    “Those that I reverence those I fear, the wise.” — Shak.