(often followed by `to') devoted exclusively to a single use or purpose or person; "a fund sacred to charity"; "a morning hour sacred to study"; "a private office sacred to the President"
concerned with religion or religious purposes; "sacred texts"; "sacred rites"; "sacred music"
worthy of respect or dedication; "saw motherhood as woman's sacred calling"
the collection of ancient rabbinic writings on Jewish law and tradition (the Mishna and the Gemara) that constitute the basis of religious authority in Orthodox Judaism
a collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired
a complete list of saints that have been recognized by the Roman Catholic Church
a rule or especially body of rules or principles generally established as valid and fundamental in a field or art or philosophy; "the neoclassical canon"; "canons of polite society"
a contrapuntal piece of music in which a melody in one part is imitated exactly in other parts
a basic truth or law or assumption; "the principles of democracy"
a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system; "the principle of the conservation of mass"; "the principle of jet propulsion"; "the right-hand rule for inductive fields"
a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct; "their principles of composition characterized all their works"
a rule or standard especially of good behavior; "a man of principle"; "he will not violate his principles"