Prophecy

5 definitions found

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

  Prophecy \Proph"e*cy\, n.; pl. {Prophecies}, [OE. prophecie, OF.
     profecie, F. proph['e]tie, L. prophetia, fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to
     be an interpreter of the gods, to prophesy, fr. ? prophet.
     See {Prophet}.]
     1. A declaration of something to come; a foretelling; a
        prediction; esp., an inspired foretelling.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              He hearkens after prophecies and dreams. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man.
                                                    --2. Pet. i.
                                                    21.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Script.) A book of prophecies; a history; as, the
        prophecy of Ahijah. --2 Chron. ix. 29.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Public interpretation of Scripture; preaching; exhortation
        or instruction.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  prophecy
       n 1: knowledge of the future (usually said to be obtained from a
            divine source) [syn: {prognostication}, {vaticination}]
       2: a prediction uttered under divine inspiration [syn: {divination}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  80 Moby Thesaurus words for "prophecy":
     actuarial prediction, afflatus, aftertime, afteryears, apocalypse,
     augury, by-and-by, cast, course ahead, crystal ball, determinism,
     direct communication, distant future, divination,
     divine inspiration, divine revelation, epiphany, eventuality,
     expectation, foreboding, forecast, forecasting, foreshowing,
     foresight, foretelling, forward look, future, future tense,
     futurism, futurity, guesswork, hereafter, immediate future,
     immediate prospect, imminence, improbability, inspiration,
     mystical experience, mysticism, near future, offing, omen, oracle,
     outlook, posteriority, prediction, prefiguration, prefigurement,
     prefiguring, presage, presaging, presentiment, preshowing,
     presignifying, prognosis, prognostication, project, promise,
     prophesying, prospect, prospectus, revelation, soothsay,
     soothsaying, speculation, statistical prediction, the future,
     the morrow, the sweet by-and-by, theophania, theophany,
     theopneustia, theopneusty, time ahead, time just ahead,
     time to come, tomorrow, vaticination, vision, weird
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Prophecy
     or prediction, was one of the functions of the prophet. It has
     been defined as a "miracle of knowledge, a declaration or
     description or representation of something future, beyond the
     power of human sagacity to foresee, discern, or conjecture."
     (See {PROPHET}.)
     
       The great prediction which runs like a golden thread through
     the whole contents of the Old Testament is that regarding the
     coming and work of the Messiah; and the great use of prophecy
     was to perpetuate faith in his coming, and to prepare the world
     for that event. But there are many subordinate and intermediate
     prophecies also which hold an important place in the great chain
     of events which illustrate the sovereignty and all-wise
     overruling providence of God.
     
       Then there are many prophecies regarding the Jewish nation,
     its founder Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:16; 15:5; 17:2, 4-6, etc.),
     and his posterity, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants (12:7;
     13:14, 15, 17; 15:18-21; Ex. 3:8, 17), which have all been
     fulfilled. The twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy contains a
     series of predictions which are even now in the present day
     being fulfilled. In the writings of the prophets Isaiah
     (2:18-21), Jeremiah (27:3-7; 29:11-14), Ezekiel (5:12; 8),
     Daniel (8; 9:26, 27), Hosea (9:17), there are also many
     prophecies regarding the events which were to befall that
     people.
     
       There is in like manner a large number of prophecies relating
     to those nations with which the Jews came into contact, as Tyre
     (Ezek. 26:3-5, 14-21), Egypt (Ezek. 29:10, 15; 30:6, 12, 13),
     Ethiopia (Nahum 3:8-10), Nineveh (Nahum 1:10; 2:8-13; 3:17-19),
     Babylon (Isa. 13:4; Jer. 51:7; Isa. 44:27; Jer. 50:38; 51:36,
     39, 57), the land of the Philistines (Jer. 47:4-7; Ezek.
     25:15-17; Amos 1:6-8; Zeph. 2:4-7; Zech. 9:5-8), and of the four
     great monarchies (Dan. 2:39, 40; 7:17-24; 8:9).
     
       But the great body of Old Testament prophecy relates directly
     to the advent of the Messiah, beginning with Gen. 3:15, the
     first great promise, and extending in ever-increasing fulness
     and clearness all through to the very close of the canon. The
     Messianic prophecies are too numerous to be quoted. "To him gave
     all the prophets witness." (Comp. Micah 5:2; Hag. 2:6-9; Isa.
     7:14; 9:6, 7; 11:1, 2; 53; 60:10, 13; Ps. 16:11; 68:18.)
     
       Many predictions also were delivered by Jesus and his
     apostles. Those of Christ were very numerous. (Comp. Matt.
     10:23:24; 11:23; 19:28; 21:43, 44; 24; 25:31-46; 26:17-35, 46,
     64; Mark 9:1; 10:30; 13; 11:1-6, 14; 14:12-31, 42, 62; 16:17,
     etc.)
     

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  PROPHECY, n.  The art and practice of selling one's credibility for
  future delivery.