Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Profane"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Profane \Pro*fane"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Profaned}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Profaning}.] [L. profanare: cf. F. profaner. See
{Profane}, a.]
1. To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse,
irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to
pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the
Scriptures, or the ordinance of God.
The priests in the temple profane the sabbath.
--Matt. xii.
5.
2. To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base
employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile.
So idly to profane the precious time. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Profane \Pro*fane"\, a. [F., fr. L. profanus, properly, before
the temple, i. e., without the temple, unholy; pro before +
fanum temple. See 1st {Fane}.]
1. Not sacred or holy; not possessing peculiar sanctity;
unconsecrated; hence, relating to matters other than
sacred; secular; -- opposed to sacred, religious, or
inspired; as, a profane place. ``Profane authors.'' --I.
Disraeli.
The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine.
--Gibbon.
2. Unclean; impure; polluted; unholy.
Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things.
--Sir W.
Raleigh.
3. Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect,
irreverence, or undue familiarity; irreverent; impious.
Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the
name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a
profane person, word, oath, or tongue. --1 Tim. i. 9.
Syn: Secular; temporal; worldly; unsanctified; unhallowed;
unholy; irreligious; irreverent; ungodly; wicked;
godless; impious. See {Impious}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
profane
adj 1: characterized by profanity or cursing; "foul-mouthed and
blasphemous"; "blue language"; "profane words" [syn: {blasphemous},
{blue}]
2: not sacred or concerned with religion; "sacred and profane
music"; "children being brought up in an entirely profane
environment" [ant: {sacred}]
3: not holy because unconsecrated or impure or defiled [syn: {unconsecrated},
{unsanctified}]
4: grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred;
"blasphemous rites of a witches' Sabbath"; "profane
utterances against the Church"; "it is sacrilegious to
enter with shoes on" [syn: {blasphemous}, {sacrilegious}]
v 1: corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch
the young people with wine and women" [syn: {corrupt}, {pervert},
{demoralize}, {demoralise}, {debauch}, {debase}, {vitiate},
{deprave}, {misdirect}]
2: violate the sacred character of a place, such as a graveyard
[syn: {desecrate}, {outrage}, {violate}]
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