All 5 Uses

venerable
in
Dr. Heidegger's Experiment
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DR. HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT That very singular man, old Dr. Heidegger, once invited four venerable friends to meet him in his study.†
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venerable = respected (worthy of respect) -- typically because of age or position
The doctor's four venerable friends made him no answer, except by a feeble and tremulous laugh; so very ridiculous was the idea that, knowing how closely repentance treads behind the steps of error, they should ever go astray again.†
She examined whether the snow had so entirely melted from her hair that the venerable cap could be safely thrown aside.†
It was now so nearly sunset that the chamber had grown duskier than ever; but a mild and moonlike splendor gleamed from within the vase, and rested alike on the four guests and on the doctor's venerable figure.†
One limped across the floor like a gouty grandfather; one set a pair of spectacles astride of his nose, and pretended to pore over the black-letter pages of the book of magic; a third seated himself in an arm-chair, and strove to imitate the venerable dignity of Dr. Heidegger.†

Definitions:

(1) (venerable)
respected (worthy of respect) -- typically because of age or position
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
Much more rarely, venerable can be used as a specific religious title whose exact meaning depends upon the religious denomination, but when given, is only to a small number or people who are exceptionally respected and admired.