worship
worship — verb
1. to show deep love and respect for a god or spiritual being through acts such as
to show deep love and respect for a god or spiritual being through acts such as prayer, singing, or ritual.
Every Sunday morning, the community gathers to worship at the hilltop temple.
intransitive: worship + preposition at/in + place
The ancient Mesopotamians worshipped many gods and built grand temples for them.
transitive: worship + noun (a deity)
Hari and his family worship together each evening before eating their dinner.
Pilgrims travel long distances to worship at the sacred shrine in the mountains.
- desecrate
to treat a holy thing with disrespect
文法句型
worship + noun (a deity)
worship (no object)
worship + preposition (at/in)
常見錯誤
2. to take part in a religious service as a member of a congregation.
to take part in a religious service as a member of a congregation.
The Okonkwo family worships every Sunday at St. Mark's Church.
worship + frequency adverb + at + place name
During Ramadan, millions of Muslims worship at mosques each evening.
Aylin invited her colleague to worship with her at the synagogue on Friday.
Fewer people worship regularly in this town than they did thirty years ago.
- pray
narrower — only speaking to God, not the full service
文法句型
worship + adverb (regularly/weekly)
worship + preposition (at/in/with)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (RELIGIOUS DEVOTION): sense 1 focuses on the inner feeling and any devotional act; this sense is specifically about attending a group ceremony. You can worship (sense 1) alone at home, but sense 2 requires a communal service.
常見錯誤
3. to feel or express an extremely strong, often uncritical love or admiration for
to feel or express an extremely strong, often uncritical love or admiration for someone or something, treating them as perfect.
Jabari worships his older cousin and tries to dress and speak just like him.
worship + person (uncritical admiration, copying behaviour)
Pim worshipped the ground his grandmother walked on until the day she died.
idiomatic: worship the ground [someone] walks on
Some fans worship musicians so intensely that they lose sight of their own lives.
The young dancer worships her teacher and practises every move with total devotion.
- adore
warmer and more affectionate; less judgmental
- idolize
implies putting someone on a pedestal, similar critical overtone
- hero-worship
specifically about looking up to a role model with uncritical devotion
- despise
to hate strongly
- look down on
to see someone as inferior
文法句型
worship + noun (a person/celebrity)
worship the ground + pronoun + walk on
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (RELIGIOUS DEVOTION), this sense is never used about gods. The object is typically a person, celebrity, or public figure. Often carries a mildly critical tone — the speaker implies the admiration is disproportionate or blind.
常見錯誤
worship — noun
1. the activity of showing deep love and respect for a god, especially through pray
the activity of showing deep love and respect for a god, especially through prayer, singing, or religious ceremonies.
The Sunday service included an hour of worship with hymns, prayers, and a sermon.
of + worship: hour of worship
Many people say they find a deep sense of peace through worship.
The old stone chapel is still a living place of worship for local families.
Morning worship at the monastery begins at dawn with chanting and meditation.
文法句型
place/act/hour of worship
worship + noun
freedom of worship
2. an intense, frequently uncritical feeling of devotion toward someone or somethin
an intense, frequently uncritical feeling of devotion toward someone or something, often regarded as disproportionate.
The teenagers' worship of the pop star worried their parents and teachers.
worship of + person (possessive form)
Hero worship can help young people set goals, but it can also cause disappointment.
compound: hero worship
Ignacio felt uneasy about the worship his followers showed him at every event.
Her worship of luxury brands left her with an empty wallet and a full wardrobe.
- adoration
warmer, less critical tone
- idolization
implies putting on a pedestal, similarly critical
- devotion
can be positive or neutral; less judgmental than 'worship'
- contempt
a feeling of strong dislike or disrespect
文法句型
worship of + noun (a person/thing)
hero worship
用法筆記
Often carries a negative or critical tone, suggesting the admiration is disproportionate or unhealthy. Compare to sense 1 (RELIGIOUS ACT) — this sense is secular and judgmental.
常見錯誤
3. a formal way of addressing a civic official such as a mayor or judge in British
a formal way of addressing a civic official such as a mayor or judge in British courts and city ceremonies.
Your Worship, I request the court's permission to present new evidence.
direct address: Your Worship
His Worship the Mayor cut the ribbon at the opening of the health clinic.
third-person reference: His Worship the Mayor
The lawyer addressed the magistrate as 'Your Worship' throughout the hearing.
A formal letter was sent to Her Worship the Mayor requesting a meeting.
- Your Honor
American English equivalent used for judges
- My Lord
British English title used for certain senior judges
文法句型
Your Worship
His/Her Worship
用法筆記
Only used in formal addresses within British and some Commonwealth legal or municipal contexts. Rare in American English, where 'Your Honor' is preferred for judges and 'Mr./Madam Mayor' for mayors.