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Webster 1913 Edition

Minister

Min′is-ter

,
Noun.
[OE.
ministre
, F.
ministre
, fr. L.
minister
, orig. a double comparative from the root of
minor
less, and hence meaning, an inferior, a servant. See 1st
Minor
, and cf.
Master
,
Minstrel
.]
1.
A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument.
Moses rose up, and his
minister
Joshua.
Ex. xxiv. 13.
I chose
Camillo for the
minister
, to poison
My friend Polixenes.
Shakespeare
2.
An officer of justice.
[Obs.]
I cry out the on the
ministres
, quod he,
That shoulde keep and rule this cité.
Chaucer.
3.
One to whom the sovereign or executive head of a government intrusts the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs.
Ministers
to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man.
Bacon.
4.
A representative of a government, sent to the court, or seat of government, of a foreign nation to transact diplomatic business.
☞ Ambassadors are classed (in the diplomatic sense) in the first rank of public ministers, ministers plenipotentiary in the second. “The United States diplomatic service employs two classes of ministers, – ministers plenipotentiary and ministers resident.”
Abbott.
5.
One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments.
Addison.
Syn. – Delegate; official; ambassador; clergyman; parson; priest.

Min′is-ter

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ministered
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ministering
.]
[OE.
ministren
, OF.
ministrer
, fr. L.
ministrare
. See
Minister
,
Noun.
]
To furnish or apply; to afford; to supply; to administer.
He that
ministereth
seed to the sower.
2 Cor. ix. 10.
We
minister
to God reason to suspect us.
Jer. Taylor.

Min′is-ter

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To act as a servant, attendant, or agent; to attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular.
The Son of man came not to be
ministered
unto, but to
minister
.
Matt. xx. 28.
2.
To supply or to things needful; esp., to supply consolation or remedies;
as, to
minister
to the sick
.
Matt. xxv. 44.
Canst thou not
minister
to a mind diseased?
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Minister

MIN'ISTER

,
Noun.
[L.]
1.
Properly, a chief servant; hence, an agent appointed to transact or manage business under the authority of another; in which sense, it is a word of very extensive application.
Moses rose up and his minister Joshua. Ex.24.
2.
One to whom a king or prince entrusts the direction of affairs of state; as minister of state; the prime minister. In modern governments, the secretaries or heads of the several departments or branches of government are the ministers of the chief magistrate.
3.
A magistrate; an executive officer.
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. Rom.13.
4.
A delegate; an embassador; the representative of a sovereign at a foreign court; usually such as is resident at a foreign court, but not restricted to such.
5.
One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church, duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Eph.3.
6.
Christ is called a minister of the sanctuary. Heb.8.
7.
An angel; a messenger of God.
Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire. Ps.104.

MIN'ISTER

,
Verb.
T.
[L. ministro.] To give; to afford; to supply.
He that ministereth seed to the sower--2 Cor.9.
That it may minister grace to the hearers. Eph.4.

MIN'ISTER

,
Verb.
I.
To attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular.
I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. Ex.29.
1.
To afford supplies; to give things needful; to supply the means of relief; to relieve.
When saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Matt.25.
2.
To give medicines.
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased?
In this sense, we commonly use administer.

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