what does hallows mean?

Answer 1

# To make or set apart as holy.
# To respect or honor greatly; revere

Answer 2

Obviously, you are interested in knowing what the "deathly hallows" in the title of the last Harry Potter book refers to.

First of all, it is clearly a NOUN - so answers that tell you what the verb "to hallow" means don't quite get there, though "hallows" WOULD refer to some person or thing that is regarded as holy.

At least before the book was released, Rowling refused to explain the meaning of the term, saying it would give away too much of the story. Now that the book is out, I'm sure you can find the specific answer --if you want to 'spoil' the book for yourself-- in many places. You could start with wikipedia, which usually posts such things very quickly.

Now, I have NOT read the book, and don't want to know the specifics yet. BUT I do know that the books do quite a bit with Arthurian legend. On that basis, I suspect that the "hallows" in this book are somehow based on the four "hallows" of grail lore -- four sacred objects, including the grail itself, found in the French version of the story of Perceval, one of Arthur's knights.

I also suspect that Rowling, who typically ADAPTS these sorts of themes, changes them in some significant way (while still making use of some of the Arthurian themes).

For a couple of articles that suggested such a theory before the books came out, with a brief explanation of the "four hallows", see::
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6908080.stm
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-grail.html

And here is the key chapter in the book [The Hidden Church of the Holy Graal by Arthur Edward Waite, published 1909] which, i believe, first used this title.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/sro/hchg/hchg11.htm

Answer 3

Holy things. Saints. All Hallows Eve, better known as Halloween literally means "All Saints Eve" which is the day before All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day.

Answer 4

All Hallow's Eve is originally a pagan holiday, and when the Catholic Church baptized the pagan statures to get them to join the church. Unofficially recalls the souls of the damned. Practices center around the reality of Hell and how to avoid it. So November the 1 is All Saints day for that purpose. Set aside to officially honor the Church Triumphant. Practices center around recalling our great Saints, including those whose names are unknown to us and, so, are not canonized And November the 2 is All Souls day set aside officially to pray for the Church Suffering (the souls in Purgatory). Practices center around praying for the souls in Purgatory, especially our loved ones. The earliest form of All Saints' (or "All Hallows'") was first celebrated in the 300s, but originally took place on 13 May, as it still does in some Eastern Churches. The Feast first commemorated only the martyrs, but came to include all of the Saints by 741. It was transferred to 1 November in 844 when Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter's Basilica to All Saints (so much for the theory that the day was fixed on 1 November because of a bunch of Irish pagans had harvest festivals at that time. Interesting?

Answer 5

hal·low (hāl'ō)

1.To make or set apart as holy.
2.To respect or honor greatly; revere.