English

Prepositional phrase

in the biblical sense

1. Used other than as an idiom: see biblical,‎ sense.
2. (euphemistic) Carnally; sexually.
   • 1993, Harold Miles, Bad ol' boy, page 122:

     I was married to you the moment I took you as my wife. That first night I pushed you backward on your bed and took you in the Biblical sense, from that moment on, we were man and wife.

   • 1993 February 26, “NOTORIOUS WOMEN RECOVER FROM THEIR LOVE AFFAIRS”, in Ind_Geraldo (Rivera):

     Unidentified Man 2: How you doing? I've got a question for Pamela. How many rock stars have you met in your whole life? Ms-DES-BARRES: Oh, my gosh. Man 2: Any idea? Any idea or... Ms-LEE: He didn't ask how many you slept with. Ms-DES-BARRES: That's good. RIVERA: You mean met in the biblical sense? Man 2: I mean met and been with. Ms-DES-BARRES: I didn't sleep with that many of them.

   • 2012 March 23, Lanford Beard, “TV Jukebox: 'The Secret Circle,' 'The Voice,' 'Switched at Birth,' and more music-on-TV moments”, in Entertainment Weekly:

     The young witches made their relationship official — in the Biblical sense — and Welch’s howling entreaty, “I’d do anything to make you stay,” expressed their yearning and desperation.

   • 2012, Etienne, Trial, page 28:

     Well, I'm no longer seeing him in the biblical sense, but I do run him from time to time.

Usage notes

• Often used to suggest something sexual about a phrase not normally so taken.

Synonyms

• (carnally): biblically

See also

• as the actress said to the bishop
• Ugandan