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Veronica
Definitions
- 1 A female given name from Ancient Greek.
"My own name, Veronica — an ugly enough thing I had always thought, it sounded like either the ointment or the disease — was one her great favourites. St Veronica wiped the face of Christ on the road to Calvary and He left His face on her tea towel. Or the picture of His face. It was the first-ever photograph, she said."
- 2 A surname from Spanish.
- 1 The image of Jesus's face believed to have been made on the cloth with which St Veronica wiped his face as he went to be crucified; or the cloth used for this.
"A veil that had wiped off the sweat of Christ? Who could possibly believe that? (…) The only true Veronica of this century was the veronica of the matador – the classic slow swing of the cape before the bull’s face, imitating that holy wiping, mocking it."
- 2 any plant of the genus Veronica wordnet
- 3 A circular swinging movement of the cape, used to avoid the bull.
"The cougher makes a lunge. Slothrop sweeps aside, gives him a quick veronica with his cape, sticks his foot out and trips the kid, who lies on the ground cursing"
- 4 A flower of the genus Veronica, usually having blue petals.
"meadows full of wildflowers that seemed to Kit enormous, violets as big as your hand, yellow lilies and blue veronica you could shelter from the rain under"
- 1 To draw a muleta over and away from a bull's face in bullfighting.
Etymology
Named after Saint Veronica.
Named after Saint Veronica.
From the Latin form of Berenice, from Ancient Greek Φερενίκη (Phereníkē). Influenced by the Church Latin phrase vera icon ("true image") associated with the veil of Saint Veronica, who wiped the face of Jesus on the way to Calvary, resulting in an image of his face miraculously appearing on the veil. Doublet of Berenice.
Borrowed from Spanish Verónica.
See also for "veronica"
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Unscramble this word: veronica