Holy Water
Preserved but no longer current.
Water blessed by a priest or bishop for sacramental purposes. Its principal use is at the Asperges, or aspersing of the con- gregation before High Mass, but it is employed in nearly every blessing which the Church gives.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Holy Water” mean?
Water blessed by a priest or bishop for sacramental purposes. Its principal use is at the Asperges, or aspersing of the con- gregation before High Mass, but it is employed in nearly every blessing which the Church gives.
Is “Holy Water” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.