Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Peace \Peace\, n. [OE. pees, pais, OF. pais, paiz, pes, F. paix, L. pax, pacis, akin to pacere, paciscere, pacisci, to make an agreement, and prob. also pangere to fasten. Cf. Appease, Fair, a., Fay, v., Fang, Pacify, Pact, Pay to requite.] A state of quiet or tranquillity; freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose; specifically:
Exemption from, or cessation of, war with public enemies.
Public quiet, order, and contentment in obedience to law.
Exemption from, or subjection of, agitating passions; tranquillity of mind or conscience.
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Reconciliation; agreement after variance; harmony; concord. ``The eternal love and pees.'' --Chaucer. Note: Peace is sometimes used as an exclamation in commanding silence, quiet, or order. ``Peace! foolish woman.'' --Shak. At peace, in a state of peace. Breach of the peace. See under Breach. Justice of the peace. See under Justice. Peace of God. (Law)
A term used in wills, indictments, etc., as denoting a state of peace and good conduct.
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(Theol.) The peace of heart which is the gift of God. Peace offering.
(Jewish Antiq.) A voluntary offering to God in token of devout homage and of a sense of friendly communion with Him.
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A gift or service offered as satisfaction to an offended person.
Peace officer, a civil officer whose duty it is to preserve the public peace, to prevent riots, etc., as a sheriff or constable.
To hold one's peace, to be silent; to refrain from speaking.
To make one's peace with, to reconcile one with, to plead one's cause with, or to become reconciled with, another. ``I will make your peace with him.''
--Shak.
Wiktionary
n. 1 A religious sacrifice. 2 An offering made to an adversary in the hope of obtaining peace or reconciliation; an olive branch.
WordNet
n. something offered to an adversary in the hope of obtaining peace [syn: olive branch]
Wikipedia
The peace offering (Hebrew zevah shelamim) was one of the sacrifices and offerings in the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 3; 7.11–34). The term "peace offering" is generally constructed from "slaughter offering" zevah and the plural of shelem (Hebrew zevah hashelamiym זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים ), but is sometimes found without zevah as shelamim plural alone. The term korban shelamim (קורבן שלמים) is also used in rabbinical writings. In English Bible versions the term is rendered "peace offering" (KJV 1611, JPS 1917), "offering of well-being" (NRSV).
Parallels of offerings with the same semitic root S-L-M also occur in Ugaritic texts. After the Hebrew Bible the term also occurs in the Dead Sea scrolls, for example in the Temple Scroll. In the Septuagint the term is rendered by two different Greek nouns. First in the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges variations of soterios ("of saving"); in Samuel and Kings variations of eirenikos ("of peace").
Usage examples of "peace offering".
I had hoped it was some sort of peace offering, but when I dared thank Lord Golden, he looked up from the herbery he was perusing with a glance at once distracted and irritated.
If his father had intended this civilized meal and quiet moment as a bribe or a peace offering, it was ill-considered.
We neither know nor care whether Lawrence Sterne really went to France, whether he was there accosted by the Franciscan, at first rebuked him unkindly, and then gave him a peace offering: or whether the whole be not fiction.
The necklace was a peace offering, an alternative to Shota trying to destroy their offspring.
She had managed to find some sumac after all, and she held forth the basket as a kind of peace offering when Dacey looked up at her.
Wolfhere scuffed at the dirt and took a sip of ale, then held out the cup as a peace offering.
Eagerly, that is, until he realized it was a peace offering that would enable him to make very efficient war.