Babylon
English edit
Etymology edit
Partially inherited from Old English Babilōn/Babȳlōn, partially from Latin Babylōn, from Ancient Greek Βαβυλών (Babulṓn), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim, literally “Gate of God”); the name of the ancient Chaldean capital and Biblical city of the Apocalypse. Doublet of Babel.
Pronunciation edit
Proper noun edit
Babylon
- (historical) An ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 18:10:
- Standing afarre off for the feare of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great citie Babylon, that mighty citie: for in one houre is thy iudgement come.
- A governate in Iraq.
- Any city of great wealth, luxury and vice.
- 1921, Ben Travers, A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
- Mother […] considered that the exclusiveness of Peter's circle was due not to its distinction, but to the fact that it was an inner Babylon of prodigality and whoredom, from which every Kensingtonian held aloof, except on the conventional tip-and-run excursions in pursuit of shopping, tea and theatres.
- (Rastafari) Western civilization, seen as corrupt and materialistic, and contrasted with Zion.
- (Jamaica, MLE) The police.
- 2017 September 24, Emma Jones, “Crime, sexism and a near death experience - former police officer lifts the lid on the hidden secrets of the force”, in Daily Mirror[1]:
- When I was the first officer on the scene at a nightclub brawl, I was picked up by the throat and strangled by a huge Rastafarian who was trying to kill me. I was losing consciousness when Marlon told him to let me go.
I remember him saying, ‘She’s alright for Babylon. Put her down.’ He dropped me and I ran to the station with massive bruises around my neck.
- An unincorporated community in Fulton County, Illinois, United States.
- A town and village therein, in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, United States.
Synonyms edit
- (police): See Thesaurus:police
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
capital of Babylonia
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Czech edit
Alternative forms edit
Pronunciation edit
Proper noun edit
Babylon m inan (related adjective babylonský, demonym Babyloňan)
- (historical) Babylon (an ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia)
Declension edit
Further reading edit
- Babylon in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
Danish edit
Proper noun edit
Babylon
- (historical) Babylon (an ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia)
Dutch edit
Etymology edit
From Middle Dutch Babylone, from Latin Babylōn, from Ancient Greek Βαβυλών (Babulṓn).
Pronunciation edit
Proper noun edit
Babylon n
- (historical) Babylon (an ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia)
- Synonym: Babel
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Jamaican Creole edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Proper noun edit
Babylon
- (historical) Babylon (an ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia)
- (slang) cops, police[1] (law enforcement organisation)
- A: Wah happen to di music? B: Babylon lock off di sound.
- A: What happened to the music? B: The police shut down the sound system.
- 1976, N. D. Williams · 1976, Ikael Torass, →ISBN, page 288:
- “Then she a-show I seh well right now she a-go call Babylon bwoy dem ofe carry I go gaol.”
- So she was explaining to me that she was about to call the police so that they'd take me to jail.
- 2011, Marcus Bethel, Scars and Stripes: The Lasting Impression, →ISBN, page 83:
- “All inna Buckingham Palace Iyah. Herb haffi burn! De healin' ah de nation haffi burn ... Rasta, I an I ah go leave before de Babylon cum pan de seen, Zeen.”
- Yes Sir, even in Buckingham Palace. We have to smoke marijuana! The healing of the nation needs to be smoked ... Hey man, I'm going to leave before the cops get here, you know what I mean?
- (slang) An oppressive government or system.[2]
- Bun dung Babylon!
- Down with the oppressive government!
- 1987, Paul McGilchrist, Black Voices: An Anthology of ACER'S Black Young Writers Competition, →ISBN, page 110:
- “[...] Black man can't live in a Babylon yu nah see it, we must return to our own land, back to Africa ; the Black man won't get no power , no justice inna Babylon [...]”
- [...] Blacks shouldn't live in this oppressive system. Don't you see? We have to return to our land, back to Africa. Blacks won't get any power. There's no justice in this oppressive system.
References edit
- ^ Richard Allsopp, editor (1996), Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 55
- ^ Richard Allsopp, editor (1996), Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 55
Latin edit
Etymology edit
From Ancient Greek Βαβυλών (Babulṓn), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim, literally “Gate of God”), the name of the ancient Chaldean capital and Biblical city of the Apocalypse.
Pronunciation edit
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈba.by.loːn/, [ˈbäbʏɫ̪oːn]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈba.bi.lon/, [ˈbäːbilon]
Proper noun edit
Babylōn f (genitive Babylōnis); third declension
- (historical) Babylon (an ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia)
Declension edit
Third-declension noun.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Babylōn | Babylōnēs |
| Genitive | Babylōnis | Babylōnum |
| Dative | Babylōnī | Babylōnibus |
| Accusative | Babylōnem | Babylōnēs |
| Ablative | Babylōne | Babylōnibus |
| Vocative | Babylōn | Babylōnēs |
Also Greek forms Babylōna (accusative) and Babylōnos (genitive).
Related terms edit
References edit
- “Babylon”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- Babylon in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- “Babylon”, in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia[2]
- “Babylon”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
- “Babylon”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
Scots edit
Proper noun edit
Babylon
- (historical) Babylon (an ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia)