'Apostolic father' definitions:

Definition of 'Apostolic father'

From: GCIDE
  • Father \Fa"ther\ (f[aum]"[th][~e]r), n. [OE. fader, AS. f[ae]der; akin to OS. fadar, D. vader, OHG. fatar, G. vater, Icel. fa[eth]ir Sw. & Dan. fader, OIr. athir, L. pater, Gr. path`r, Skr. pitr, perh. fr. Skr. p[=a] protect. [root]75,
  • 247. Cf. Papa, Paternal, Patriot, Potential, Pablum.]
  • 1. One who has begotten a child, whether son or daughter; a generator; a male parent. [1913 Webster]
  • A wise son maketh a glad father. --Prov. x. 1. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. A male ancestor more remote than a parent; a progenitor; especially, a first ancestor; a founder of a race or family; -- in the plural, fathers, ancestors. [1913 Webster]
  • David slept with his fathers. --1 Kings ii. 10. [1913 Webster]
  • Abraham, who is the father of us all. --Rom. iv. 16. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. One who performs the offices of a parent by maintenance, affetionate care, counsel, or protection. [1913 Webster]
  • I was a father to the poor. --Job xxix. 16. [1913 Webster]
  • He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house. --Gen. xiv. 8. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. A respectful mode of address to an old man. [1913 Webster]
  • And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him [Elisha], . . . and said, O my father, my father! --2 Kings xiii. 14. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. A senator of ancient Rome. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. A dignitary of the church, a superior of a convent, a confessor (called also father confessor), or a priest; also, the eldest member of a profession, or of a legislative assembly, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • Bless you, good father friar ! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. One of the chief ecclesiastical authorities of the first centuries after Christ; -- often spoken of collectively as the Fathers; as, the Latin, Greek, or apostolic Fathers. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. One who, or that which, gives origin; an originator; a producer, author, or contriver; the first to practice any art, profession, or occupation; a distinguished example or teacher. [1913 Webster]
  • The father of all such as handle the harp and organ. --Gen. iv. 21. [1913 Webster]
  • Might be the father, Harry, to that thought. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • The father of good news. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. The Supreme Being and Creator; God; in theology, the first person in the Trinity. [1913 Webster]
  • Our Father, which art in heaven. --Matt. vi. 9. [1913 Webster]
  • Now had the almighty Father from above . . . Bent down his eye. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Adoptive father, one who adopts the child of another, treating it as his own.
  • Apostolic father, Conscript fathers, etc. See under Apostolic, Conscript, etc.
  • Father in God, a title given to bishops.
  • Father of lies, the Devil.
  • Father of the bar, the oldest practitioner at the bar.
  • Fathers of the city, the aldermen.
  • Father of the Faithful. (a) Abraham. --Rom. iv. --Gal. iii. 6-9. (b) Mohammed, or one of the sultans, his successors.
  • Father of the house, the member of a legislative body who has had the longest continuous service.
  • Most Reverend Father in God, a title given to archbishops and metropolitans, as to the archbishops of Canterbury and York.
  • Natural father, the father of an illegitimate child.
  • Putative father, one who is presumed to be the father of an illegitimate child; the supposed father.
  • Spiritual father. (a) A religious teacher or guide, esp. one instrumental in leading a soul to God. (b) (R. C. Ch.) A priest who hears confession in the sacrament of penance.
  • The Holy Father (R. C. Ch.), the pope. [1913 Webster]