Sermon on the Mount
- noun
- /ˈsɜrmən ɒn ðə maʊnt/
:
Sermón del Monte
- His speech was a modern Sermon on the Mount, outlining the principles of kindness and empathy that society should strive for.
Examples
-
What a disconnect from the Sermon on the Mount!
Blog text (4) -
The politician's address was referred to as a Sermon on the Mount because it presented a comprehensive guide to ethical governance.
-
I wonder if you would be so kind, as to slip in there and present her, with this special edition, of the "Sermon on the Mount".
-
The court is also aware of the unlawful assembly... ...the accused created with his Sermon on the Mount.
-
Many consider her latest book a Sermon on the Mount for today's generation, emphasizing the importance of social justice and personal responsibility.
Synonyms
137
2.8
A talk about religion or morals given during a church service
14
9.2
A short talk in a church about moral or religious ideas
5
8.2
A talk about religion given during a church service
1
9.9
A religious speech that gives moral advice
How Authoritative
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal composition ('sermon' + 'on' + 'mount') yields a clear image of a religious address delivered on a hill, which a B1 learner who knows the words can infer. However, the extended idiomatic use as an archetypal, comprehensive moral guide depends on specific biblical and cultural knowledge rather than pure compositional semantics, so the full metaphorical meaning is not fully predictable.
Etymology
Sermon on the Mount is also used today for any speech or statement that gives broad moral advice because it brings to mind a sermon given on a mount, where one person taught many people at once. So people use the phrase to describe a modern speech that acts as a 'moral guide'.