EDIFYING • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Edifying

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/ˈɛdəfˌaɪɪŋ/ Listen

verb

Edify v. i. (past & past part. edified; pres. part. edifying)

To build; to construct. (Archaic) "There was a holy chapel edified."

To instruct and improve, especially in moral and religious knowledge; to teach. "It does not appear probable that our dispute (about miracles) would either edify or enlighten the public."

To teach or persuade. (Obs.)

Edify v. i. To improve. (R.)

adjective

Edifying adj. Instructing; improving; as, an edifying conversation.

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Etymology of 'Edifying'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Edifying" Quotes from Famous Books

... while considerable intellectual energy is displayed in the discussions; but to see a conclave of learned professors devoting their time to the examination and discussion of Aristotle's writings is about as edifying as to see a geographical society devoting its time to discussing ...

— Buchanan's Journal of Man, August 1887 - Volume 1, Number 7 • Various

... himself in a very eccentric manner, for at every barn-yard we happened to pass, he clapped his wings, and crowed so long and loud that it afforded great amusement to the whole party, and doubtless was very edifying to the poor hens, who lay huddled together as ...

— Roughing it in the Bush • Susanna Moodie

... pleasure than the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who attended him, and from whose hands he received the sacrament. His deportment at this solemn ceremony, as related by a church dignitary, was fully edifying. He says:—"His majesty had already experienced the blessed consolations of religion, and removed the doubts his anxious attendants were entertaining, by eagerly desiring the queen to send for the archbishop, seeming, as it were, anxious to ratify the discharge of his earthly by the ...

— The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. - From George III. to Victoria • E. Farr and E. H. Nolan

... were as strange as Sanskrit would have been. If he asked Gunto what made it rain, the big old ape would but gaze at him in dumb astonishment for an instant and then return to his interesting and edifying search for fleas; and when he questioned Mumga, who was very old and should have been very wise, but wasn't, as to the reason for the closing of certain flowers after Kudu had deserted the sky, and the opening of others during the night, he was surprised to discover that ...

— Jungle Tales of Tarzan • Edgar Rice Burroughs

... This place is especially frequented in the spring; for hither at this time of year abundance of people resort, solacing themselves in the mutual enjoyment of all those pleasures the place affords, and at spare hours pass away the time in many useful and edifying discourses. When Callistratus the Sophist lived here, it was a hard matter to dine at any place besides his house; for he was so extremely courteous and obliging, that no man whom he invited to dinner could have the face to say him nay. One of his best humors was to pick ...

— Essays and Miscellanies - The Complete Works Volume 3 • Plutarch

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