Dictionary
mar•tyr
Pronunciation: (mär'tur), [key]
—
n.
1. a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion.
2. a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause:
a martyr to the cause of social justice.
3. a person who undergoes severe or constant suffering:
a martyr to severe headaches.
4. a person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.
—
v.t.
1. to make a martyr of, esp. by putting to death.
2. to torment or torture.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
