Both Uses of
consecrate
in
The Scarlet Letter
- What we did had a consecration of its own.†
p. 181.9 *
- But, much to the disappointment of the crowd, this latter business was broken off by the interposition of the town beadle, who had no idea of permitting the majesty of the law to be violated by such an abuse of one of its consecrated places.†
p. 216.5consecrated = made holy by means of religious rites
Definitions:
-
(1)
(consecrate) make holy by means of religious rites
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
A comprehensive dictionary will contain less common senses of the word including "to solemnly dedicate" or to "infuse with reverence".