Definitions Related words Mentions Lyrics History Colors (New!)

Literary notes about Prophesy (AI summary)

The word “prophesy” has been employed across literature with a remarkable versatility, ranging from lofty religious declarations to more mundane or even ironic predictions. In sacred texts and ancient narratives, such as in [1] and [2]/[3], it denotes a divine utterance—commanding, revelatory, and often tied to the unfolding of predetermined destinies. In contrast, authors like Charles Dickens ([4]) and Oscar Wilde ([5]) use the term to introduce a thoughtful yet sometimes tongue-in-cheek forecast of events, highlighting a more human and fallible aspect of foretelling. Furthermore, works by Frazer ([6], [7]) and Santayana ([8], [9]) extend its usage to contexts of ritual and reasoning, blending the mystical with the empirical. This rich tapestry of meanings illustrates how “prophesy” functions both as a marker of transcendental insight and as a literary tool for exploring the uncertainty of the future.
  1. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
    — from The Doré Bible Gallery, Complete
  2. " Chapter XIV - The earliest prophesy of the coming of Christ.
    — from The First Book of Adam and Eve by Rutherford Hayes Platt
  3. Chapter XIV - The earliest prophesy of the coming of Christ.
    — from The First Book of Adam and Eve by Rutherford Hayes Platt
  4. “With pleasure,” said he, “though I venture to prophesy that you'll want very few hints.
    — from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
  5. Did he not prophesy it?
    — from Salomé: A Tragedy in One Act by Oscar Wilde
  6. At Aegira in Achaia the priestess of Earth drank the fresh blood of a bull before she descended into the cave to prophesy.
    — from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer
  7. Then he is dragged away from it by force and set on a chair, whereupon he begins to prophesy how the rice-crop will turn out that year.
    — from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer
  8. They take note, infer, and prophesy.
    — from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana
  9. To prophesy a check would be impossible but for an incipient movement already meeting an incipient arrest.
    — from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, Scrabble


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Compound Your Joy