Sample sentences for OBSERVANCE

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Definition

conformity with law or custom or practice

or:

taking part in a ritual — such as celebrating a holiday

Much more rarely, observance can be used in place of observation (to watch patiently).

And so he did all the observance of the service himself, both the dirige, and on the morn he sang mass.
Thomas Malory -- Le Morte D'Arthur

Fremen mark the observance according to the ninth meridian-crossing cycle of the first moon.
Frank Herbert -- Dune
And so he did all the observance of the service himself, both the dirige, and on the morn he sang mass.
Thomas Malory -- Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II
He spoke in the name of something sacred and precious—the observance of a magnificent form.
Henry James -- The Portrait of a Lady - Volumes 1 & 2
Each soul was rated upon a basis often as regards its goodness, its diligence in religious observance, and its importance to its family group.
Thornton Wilder -- The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Religion and its observances had made Felton a man inaccessible to ordinary seductions.
Alexandre Dumas -- The Three Musketeers
Where was piety and observance?
Henry Roth -- Call It Sleep
He spoke in the name of something sacred and precious—the observance of a magnificent form.
Henry James -- The Portrait of a Lady - Volume 2
Mostly a lot of riffraff turned up, however, in observance of his troubles, which were by then public and had been for some time.
Saul Bellow -- The Adventures of Augie March
Their only interest is in a new one-way international law, which lacks mutuality in its observance and therefore becomes an instrument of oppression.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt -- The Four Freedoms
As her release date neared, Vanessa got increasingly anxious, with a decided uptick in religious observance.
Piper Kerman -- Orange Is the New Black
If I do sweat, they are the drops of thy lovers, and they weep for thy death: therefore rouse up fear and trembling, and do observance to my mercy.
William Shakespeare -- Henry IV, Part 2
I have never attended a Blood-oath Celebration and it is the most important of our observances.
Christopher Paolini -- Eldest
Nor will there ever be wanting to a prince legitimate reasons to excuse this non-observance.
Nicolo Machiavelli -- The Prince
Rather, it required—in addition to belief in the gods— observance of rites, prayers, and the offering of sacrifices.
Doug Linder -- The Trial of Socrates
Are there no other tokens Between you 'greed concerning her observance?
William Shakespeare -- Measure for Measure
This was an observance the authorities considered mandatory.
Nelson Mandela -- Long Walk to Freedom
They waited for her to rejoice in kind, on cue, with due observance of the protocols.
Don DeLillo -- Underworld
With governmental offices due to close at noon for the Good Friday observance, there's little time to spare.
Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard -- Killing Lincoln
It is as easy to count atomies as to resolve the propositions of a lover:—but take a taste of my finding him, and relish it with good observance.
William Shakespeare -- As You Like It

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