The Collaborative International Dictionary
Reverence \Rev"er*ence\, n. [F. r['e]v['e]rence, L. reverentia. See Reverent.]
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Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration.
If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence.
--Chaucer.Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear.
--Coleridge.When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government islost.
--Bacon.Note: Formerly, as in Chaucer, reverence denoted ``respect'' ``honor'', without awe or fear.
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The act of revering; a token of respect or veneration; an obeisance.
Make twenty reverences upon receiving . . . about twopence.
--Goldsmith.And each of them doeth all his diligence To do unto the feast reverence.
--Chaucer. -
That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
I am forced to lay my reverence by.
--Shak. -
A person entitled to be revered; -- a title applied to priests or other ministers with the pronouns his or your; sometimes poetically to a father.
--Shak.Save your reverence, Saving your reverence, an apologetical phrase for an unseemly expression made in the presence of a priest or clergyman.
Sir reverence, a contracted form of Save your reverence.
Such a one as a man may not speak of, without he say. ``Sir reverence.''
--Shak.To do reverence, to show reverence or honor; to perform an act of reverence.
Now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence.
--Shak.Syn: Awe; honor; veneration; adoration; dread.
Usage: Awe, Reverence, Dread, Veneration. Reverence is a strong sentiment of respect and esteem, sometimes mingled slightly with fear; as, reverence for the divine law. Awe is a mixed feeling of sublimity and dread in view of something great or terrible, sublime or sacred; as, awe at the divine presence. It does not necessarily imply love. Dread is an anxious fear in view of an impending evil; as, dread of punishment. Veneration is reverence in its strongest manifestations. It is the highest emotion we can exercise toward human beings. Exalted and noble objects produce reverence; terrific and threatening objects awaken dread; a sense of the divine presence fills us with awe; a union of wisdom and virtue in one who is advanced in years inspires us with veneration.
Usage examples of "to do reverence".
At the place where the bhikshuni Utpala was the first to do reverence to Buddha, a tope has now been built.
Hugh and Prior Robert had arrived at the priory late in the evening, paid their respects to the prior, attended Vespers to do reverence to the saints of the foundation, Saints Oswald and Wulstan, and taken Herluin and his attendants into their confidence about the loss, or at the very least the misplacement, of Saint Winifreds reliquary.
I presume that they don't commonly go about compelling people to do reverence to wayside statues.
Echama Naique made answer that he was not the man to do reverence to a boy who was the son of no one knew whom, nor even what his caste was.