The Collaborative International Dictionary
Empire \Em"pire\, n. [F., fr. L. imperium a command, sovereignty, dominion, empire, fr. imperare. See Emperor; cf. Imperial.]
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Supreme power; sovereignty; sway; dominion. ``The empire of the sea.''
--Shak.Over hell extend His empire, and with iron scepter rule.
--Milton. -
The dominion of an emperor; the territory or countries under the jurisdiction and dominion of an emperor (rarely of a king), usually of greater extent than a kingdom, always comprising a variety in the nationality of, or the forms of administration in, constituent and subordinate portions; as, the Austrian empire.
Empire carries with it the idea of a vast and complicated government.
--C. J. Smith. -
Any dominion; supreme control; governing influence; rule; sway; as, the empire of mind or of reason. ``Under the empire of facts.''
--M. Arnold.Another force which, in the Middle Ages, shared with chivalry the empire over the minds of men.
--A. W. Ward.Celestial empire. See under Celestial.
Empire City, a common designation of the city of New York.
Empire State, a common designation of the State of New York.
Syn: Sway; dominion; rule; control; reign; sovereignty; government; kingdom; realm; state.
Celestial \Ce*les"tial\, a. [OF. celestial, celestied, fr. L. caelestic, fr. caelum heaved. See Cell.]
Belonging to the a["e]rial regions, or visible heavens. ``The twelve celestial signs.''
--Shak.Of or pertaining to the spiritual heaven; heavenly; divine. ``Celestial spirits.'' ``Celestial light,''
--Milton.-
Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of, the Chinese, or Celestial, Empire, of the Chinese people.
Celestial city, heaven; the heavenly Jerusalem.
--Bunyan.Celestial empire, China; -- so called from the Chinese words, tien chan, Heavenly Dynasty, as being the kingdom ruled over by the dynasty appointed by heaven.
--S. W. Williams.
Wiktionary
n. (context obsolete English) Empire of China
Wikipedia
The Celestial Empire was a name used to refer to China. It was a translation of Tianchao , a name for China. Accordingly, the name "Celestial" was used to refer to Chinese emigrants to the United States, Canada, and Australia during the 19th century. Both terms were widely used in the English-language popular mass media of the day, but have fallen into disuse later on.
Usage examples of "celestial empire".
The vision told me that if he took the throne, the Celestial Empire would disappear in a storm of darkness and chaos.
He was the acknowledged authority on the celestial empire of the Chous.
Opium is smoked everywhere, at all times, by men and women, in the Celestial Empire.
I think that in the railroad car we are inclined to spend more on luxury than on safety and convenience, and it threatens without attaining these to become no better than a modern drawing-room, with its divans, and ottomans, and sun-shades, and a hundred other oriental things, which we are taking west with us, invented for the ladies of the harem and the effeminate natives of the Celestial Empire, which Jonathan should be ashamed to know the names of.