Sac·ri·fice n.
1. The offering of anything to God, or to a god; consecratory rite.
Great pomp, and sacrifice, and praises loud,
To Dagon. --Milton.
2. Anything consecrated and offered to God, or to a divinity; an immolated victim, or an offering of any kind, laid upon an altar, or otherwise presented in the way of religious thanksgiving, atonement, or conciliation.
Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood
Of human sacrifice. --Milton.
My life, if thou preserv'st my life,
Thy sacrifice shall be. --Addison.
3. Destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else; devotion of some desirable object in behalf of a higher object, or to a claim deemed more pressing; hence, also, the thing so devoted or given up; as, the sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of pleasure to interest.
4. A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value. [Tradesmen's Cant]
Burnt sacrifice. See Burnt offering, under Burnt.
Sacrifice hit Baseball, in batting, a hit of such a kind that the batter loses his chance of tallying, but enables one or more who are on bases to get home or gain a base.
Hit, n.
1. A striking against; the collision of one body against another; the stroke that touches anything.
So he the famed Cilician fencer praised,
And, at each hit, with wonder seems amazed. --Dryden.
2. A stroke of success in an enterprise, as by a fortunate chance; as, he made a hit; esp. A performance, as a musical recording, movie, or play, which achieved great popularity or acclaim; also used of books or objects of commerce which become big sellers; as, the new notebook computer was a big hit with business travellers.
What late he called a blessing, now was wit,
And God's good providence, a lucky hit. --Pope.
3. A peculiarly apt expression or turn of thought; a phrase which hits the mark; as, a happy hit.
4. A game won at backgammon after the adversary has removed some of his men. It counts less than a gammon.
5. Baseball A striking of the ball; as, a safe hit; a foul hit; -- sometimes used specifically for a base hit.
Base hit, Safe hit, Sacrifice hit. Baseball See under Base, Safe, etc.
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