All 3 Uses of
heathen
in
Jane Eyre
- Heathens and savage tribes hold that doctrine, but Christians and civilised nations disown it.†
p. 69.1 *heathens = people who are not civilized or not moral -- typically said humorously OR an offensive term for people who do not believe in a preferred religion
- Teachers, you must watch her: keep your eyes on her movements, weigh well her words, scrutinise her actions, punish her body to save her soul: if, indeed, such salvation be possible, for (my tongue falters while I tell it) this girl, this child, the native of a Christian land, worse than many a little heathen who says its prayers to Brahma and kneels before Juggernaut — this girl is —a liar!†
p. 79.2heathen = someone who is not civilized or not moral OR an offensive term for a person who does not believe in a preferred religion
- The passions may rage furiously, like true heathens, as they are; and the desires may imagine all sorts of vain things: but judgment shall still have the last word in every argument, and the casting vote in every decision.†
p. 233.3heathens = people who are not civilized or not moral -- typically said humorously OR an offensive term for people who do not believe in a preferred religion
Definitions:
-
(1)
(heathen) someone who is not civilized or not moral -- typically said humorously
or:
an offensive term for a person who does not believe in a preferred religion -- especially someone who grew up in a culture that is not familiar with the religion -
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More rarely, heathen can refer to a person who lacks culture or good taste.