pal·ace /ˈpæləs/
 宮,宮殿;宏偉的建築物


 Pal·ace n.
 1. The residence of a sovereign, including the lodgings of high officers of state, and rooms for business, as well as halls for ceremony and reception.
 2. The official residence of a bishop or other distinguished personage.
 3. Loosely, any unusually magnificent or stately house.
 Palace car. See under Car.
 Palace court, a court having jurisdiction of personal actions arising within twelve miles of the palace at Whitehall.  The court was abolished in 1849. [Eng.]

 ◄ ►


 palace
      n 1: a large and stately mansion [syn: castle]
      2: the governing group of a kingdom; "the palace issued an
         order binding on all subjects"
      3: a large ornate exhibition hall
      4: official residence of an exalted person (as a sovereign)


 Palace
    Used now only of royal dwellings, although originally meaning
    simply (as the Latin word palatium, from which it is derived,
    shows) a building surrounded by a fence or a paling. In the
    Authorized Version there are many different words so rendered,
    presenting different ideas, such as that of citadel or lofty
    fortress or royal residence (Neh. 1:1; Dan. 8:2). It is the name
    given to the temple fortress (Neh. 2:8) and to the temple itself
    (1 Chr. 29:1). It denotes also a spacious building or a great
    house (Dan. 1:4; 4:4, 29: Esther 1:5; 7:7), and a fortified
    place or an enclosure (Ezek. 25:4). Solomon's palace is
    described in 1 Kings 7:1-12 as a series of buildings rather than
    a single great structure. Thirteen years were spent in their
    erection. This palace stood on the eastern hill, adjoining the
    temple on the south.

      In the New Testament it designates the official residence of
    Pilate or that of the high priest (Matt. 26:3, 58, 69; Mark
    14:54, 66; John 18:15). In Phil. 1:13 this word is the rendering
    of the Greek praitorion, meaning the praetorian cohorts at Rome
    (the life-guard of the Caesars). Paul was continually chained to
    a soldier of that corps (Acts 28:16), and hence his name and
    sufferings became known in all the praetorium. The "soldiers
    that kept" him would, on relieving one another on guard,
    naturally spread the tidings regarding him among their comrades.
    Some, however, regard the praetroium (q.v.) as the barrack
    within the palace (the palatium) of the Caesars in Rome where a
    detachment of these praetorian guards was stationed, or as the
    camp of the guards placed outside the eastern walls of Rome.

      "In the chambers which were occupied as guard-rooms," says Dr.
    Manning, "by the praetorian troops on duty in the palace, a
    number of rude caricatures are found roughly scratched upon the
    walls, just such as may be seen upon barrack walls in every part
    of the world. Amongst these is one of a human figure nailed upon
    a cross. To add to the 'offence of the cross,' the crucified one
    is represented with the head of an animal, probably that of an
    ass. Before it stands the figure of a Roman legionary with one
    hand upraised in the attitude of worship. Underneath is the
    rude, misspelt, ungrammatical inscription, Alexamenos worships
    his god. It can scarcely be doubted that we have here a
    contemporary caricature, executed by one of the praetorian
    guard, ridiculing the faith of a Christian comrade."