Hō'ly, a.

a. [compar. HOLIER; superl. HOLIEST.] [A-S. hâlig, hâleg, hâlic, hâli, from häl, hälo, hälu, safety, salvation, from hâl, sound, safe, whole; O. Sax. hêlac, O. H. Ger. heilac, M. H. Ger. heilec, N. H. Ger. & D. heilig, Dan. hellig, Sw. helig, Icel. helgr, heilagr. Cf. HALE, HEAL, and HALLOW.]

1Sense 1. Set apart to the service or worship of God; hallowed; sacred; as, the holy Sabbath; holy oil; holy vessels; a holy nation; the holy temple; a holy priesthood.

2Sense 2. Worthy to be employed in the service of God; acceptable to God; commanded by God; hence, free from sinful affections; characterized by religious principle; pure; irreproachable; guiltless.

Holy Alliance (Hist.), a league entered into by Alexander I. of Russia, Francis I. of Austria, and Frederic William III. of Prussia, at Paris, on the 25th of September, 1815, and subsequently joined by all the sovereigns of Europe except the Pope and the King of England. It was originally formed for the purpose of mutual assistance, and for the maintenance of religion, peace, and justice, but was soon made the instrument of subverting the liberties of the people, and establishing the absolutism of their rulers. — Holy-cross day, or holy-rood day, the fourteenth of September, observed as a festival, in memory of the exaltation of our Savior’s cross. — Holy grail. See GRAIL. — 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 Roman Catholic churches, over the entrance to the chancel. — Holyrood palace, or Holyrood (pron. hol′yrood), the royal palace in Edinburgh, Scotland. — Holy Thursday (Eccl.), the day on which the ascension of our Savior is commemorated, ten days before Whitsuntide. — 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. — Holy water (Gr. & Rom. Cath. Churches), water which has been consecrated by the priest, to sprinkle the faithful and things used for holy purposes. — Holy week (Eccl.), the week before Easter, in which the passion of our Savior is commemorated. — Holy writ, the sacred Scriptures.