HO'LY, a.

1. Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions. We call a man holy, when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God, and his life is regulated by the divine precepts. Hence, holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, godly. Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Pet. i.
2. Hallowed; consecrated or set apart to a sacred use, or to the service or worship of God; a sense frequent in Scripture; as, the holy sabbath; holy oil; holy vessels; a holy nation; the holy temple; a holy priesthood.
3. Proceeding from pious principles, or directed to pious purposes; as, holy zeal.
4. Perfectly just and good; as, the holy law of God.
5. Sacred; as, a holy witness. Shak. Holy of holies, in Scripture, the innermost apartment of the Jewish tabernacle or temple, where the ark was kept, and where no person entered, except the high-priest once a year. Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, the Divine Spirit; the third person in the Trinity; the sanctifier of souls. Holy war, a war undertaken to rescue the holy land, the ancient Judea, from the infidels; a crusade; an expedition carried on by Christians against the Saracens in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries; a war carried in a most unholy manner.

1. Set apart to the service or worship of God] hallowed; sacred; reserved from profane or common use; holy vessels; a holy priesthood.
   
   
   "Holy rites and solemn feasts." Milton.
2. Spiritually whole or sound; of unimpaired innocence and virtue; free from sinful affections; pure in heart; godly; pious; irreproachable; guiltless; acceptable to God.
   
   

   Now through her round of holy thought
   The Church our annual steps has brought. Keble.

   Holy Alliance (Hist.), a league ostensibly for conserving religion, justice, and peace in Europe, but really for repressing popular tendencies toward constitutional government, entered into by Alexander I. of Russia, Francis I. of Austria, and Frederic William III. of Prussia, at Paris, on the 26th of September, 1815, and subsequently joined by all the sovereigns of Europe, except the pope and the king of England. -- Holy bark. See Cascara sagrada. -- Holy Communion. See Eucharist. -- Holy family (Art), a picture in which the infant Christ, his parents, and others of his family are represented. - - Holy Father, a title of the pope. -- Holy Ghost (Theol.),the third person of the Trinity; the Comforter; the Paraclete. -- Holy Grail. See Grail. -- Holy grass (Bot.), a sweet-scented grass (Hierochloa borealis and H. alpina). In the north of Europe it was formerly strewed before church doors on saints' days; whence the name. It is common in the northern and western parts of the United States. Called also vanilla, or Seneca, grass. -- Holy Innocents' day, Childermas day. -- Holy Land, Palestine, the birthplace of Christianity. -- Holy office, the Inquisition. -- Holy of holies (Script.), the innermost apartment of the Jewish tabernacle or temple, where the ark was kept, and where no person entered, except the high priest once a year. -- Holy One. (a) The Supreme Being; -- so called by way of emphasis. " The Holy One of Israel." Is. xliii. 14. (b) One separated to the service of God. -- Holy orders. See Order. -- Holy rood, the cross or crucifix, particularly one placed, in churches. over the entrance to the chancel. -- Holy rope, a plant, the hemp agrimony. -- Holy Saturday (Eccl.), the Saturday immediately preceding the festival of Easter; the vigil of Easter. -- Holy Spirit, same as Holy Ghost (above). -- Holy Spirit plant. See Dove plant. -- Holy thistle (Bot.), the blessed thistle. See under Thistle. -- Holy Thursday. (Eccl.) (a) (Episcopal Ch.) Ascension day. (b) (R. C. Ch.) The Thursday in Holy Week; Maundy Thursday. -- Holy war, a crusade; an expedition carried on by Christians against the Saracens in the Holy Land, in the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries, for the possession of the holy places. -- Holy water (Gr. *** R. C. Churches), water which has been blessed by the priest for sacred purposes. -- Holy-water stoup, the stone stoup or font placed near the entrance of a church, as a receptacle for holy water. -- Holy Week (Eccl.), the week before Easter, in which the passion of our Savior is commemorated. -- Holy writ, the sacred Scriptures. " Word of holy writ." Wordsworth.