Commination

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Commination \Com`mi*na"tion\, n. [L. comminatio, from comminari
     to threaten; com- + minari to threaten: cf. F. commination.]
     1. A threat or threatening; a denunciation of punishment or
        vengeance.
        [1913 Webster]
  


              With terrible comminations to all them that did
              resist.                               --Foxe.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Those thunders of commination.        --I. Taylor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An office in the liturgy of the Church of England, used on
        Ash Wednesday, containing a recital of God's anger and
        judgments against sinners.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  commination
       n 1: prayers proclaiming God's anger against sinners; read in the
            Church of England on Ash Wednesday
       2: a threat of divine punishment or vengeance