n. [ OE. sake cause, also, lawsuit, fault, AS. sacu strife, a cause or suit at law; akin to D. zaak cause, thing, affair, G. sache thing, cause in law, OHG. sahha, Icel. sök, Sw. sak, Dan. sag, Goth. sakjō strife, AS. sacan to contend, strive, Goth. sakam, Icel. saka to contend, strive, blame, OHG. sahhan, MHG. sachen, to contend, strive, defend one's right, accuse, charge in a lawsuit, and also to E. seek. Cf. Seek. ] Final cause; end; purpose of obtaining; cause; motive; reason; interest; concern; account; regard or respect; -- used chiefly in such phrases as, for the sake of, for his sake, for man's sake, for mercy's sake, and the like;
Moved with wrath and shame and ladies' sake. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]
I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake. Gen. viii. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]
Will he draw out,
For anger's sake, finite to infinite? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
Knowledge is for the sake of man, and not man for the sake of knowledge. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ The -s of the possessive case preceding sake is sometimes omitted for euphony; as, for goodness sake. “For conscience sake.” 1 Cor. x. 28. The plural sakes is often used with a possessive plural. “For both our sakes.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. a traditional alcoholic drink of Japan. It is made from rice.
n. [ F. sacre (cf. It. sagro, Sp. & Pg. sacre), either fr. L. sacer sacred, holy, as a translation of Gr.
☞ The female is called
On the bastions were planted culverins and sakers. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]
The culverins and sakers showing their deadly muzzles over the rampart. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. sacret. See Saker. ] (Zool.) The male of the saker
n. [ Cf. F. & Pg. saki; probably from the native name. ] (Zool.) Any one of several species of South American monkeys of the genus
☞ The black saki (Pithecia satanas), the white-headed (Pithecia leucocephala), and the red-backed, or hand-drinking, saki (Pithecia chiropotes), are among the best-known. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. The alcoholic drink of Japan. It is made from rice; it is usually spelled
n. [ Skr. ] (Hind. Myth.) The divine energy, personified as the wife of a deity (Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, etc.); the female principle. [ 1913 Webster ]