Holy City
1
8.8
- noun
- Literature
:
Ciudad Santa
- Many Christians believe that after death, they will be taken to the Holy City where they can live in peace forever.
Examples
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It was the last major Turkish stronghold standing between the crusade and its goal, the holy city of Jerusalem.
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The Holy City of Charleston is working her way into people's hearts across the world.
Blog text (5) -
Thank you to all who hold Charleston, the Holy City, in that sacred place of your hearts.
Blog text (5) -
It's a very typical to to have a holy city on the mountain and Temple Mount, which geographically is not a mount.
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Today, with thousands of others, I proclaimed God's greatness in the Holy City of Mecca.
Fiction book (1992) -
It was the last major Turkish stronghold standing between the crusade and its goal, the Holy city of Jerusalem.
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The fact that Ashur was a holy city didn't stop what Ashur Nezipal the Second did next, in what was perhaps his greatest achievement.
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Despite these dire circumstances, the morale of the Christians was high as they were buoyed by a desire to see and regain the holy city for their faith.
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Thank God for Charleston's creation and preservation, and for all the blessings of this life, but above all for that inestimable love that sets Charleston apart as the Holy City in our hearts.
Blog text (5) -
Because of the spiritual rebirth which I was blessed to undergo as a result of my pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca, I no longer subscribe to sweeping indictments.
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
237
1.0
A very happy and peaceful state
77
4.0
A perfect, happy place where good people go after death
1
8.3
A holy place where people believe God and the blessed live after death
A beautiful city in Heaven that good people go to after they die
A perfect, peaceful place often shown as a beautiful city in religious writing
Surface Forms
Morphology
holy + City
The constituents 'holy' (sacred) and 'city' (urban place) combine compositionally so a learner can infer 'a sacred city' from the parts. However the specific, poetic/religious use to mean 'Heaven' (or a symbolic spiritual realm) is culturally specific and not fully predictable from the literal constituents, so prior exposure helps.
Etymology
Holy City comes from the Bible image of the New Jerusalem, a shining, perfect city sent from heaven. That's why people use Holy City to mean 'Heaven' or a place of final peace.