ASPERGES

As *per "ges, n. Etym: [L., Thou shalt sprinkle. ] (R. C. Ch. )(a ) The service or ceremony of sprinkling with holy water. (b ) The brush or instrument used in sprinkling holy water; an aspergill.

asperges

as per ges |əˈspərjəz əˈspərʤəz | ▶noun Christian Church the rite of sprinkling holy water at the beginning of the Mass, still used occasionally in Catholic churches. • another term for aspergillum. ORIGIN late 16th cent.: the first word of the Latin (Vulgate ) text of Psalms 51:9 (literally ‘thou shalt purge ’), recited before Mass during the sprinkling of holy water.

asperges

asperges |əˈspəːdʒiːz | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Christian Church the rite of sprinkling holy water at the beginning of the Mass, still used occasionally in Catholic churches. • [ count noun ] another term for aspergillum. ORIGIN late 16th cent.: the first word of the Latin text of Psalms 50 (51 ):7 (literally ‘thou shalt purge ’, but translated in the Authorized Version as ‘purge me ’), recited before mass during the sprinkling of holy water.