eternal

Everyday

1. Lasting for ever, without beginning or end. tree →
2. (church) Christians believe God is eternal and that believers will have eternal life with God after death. tree →
3. (informal) Seeming to go on for ever, often annoyingly: «his eternal complaining». tree →
4. Always true or always there: «eternal truths», «an eternal optimist». tree →

In the lessons

In religion lessons eternal describes God and heaven: «eternal life», «the Eternal City» (Rome). In everyday talk it means «never-ending» or is used with humour. Phrases: «eternal life», «eternal love», «eternal flame», «eternal rest», «an eternal optimist».

Examples

• Christians believe God is eternal. tree →
• Jesus promised eternal life to those who believe. tree →
• The car journey felt eternal! tree →
• Rome is called the Eternal City. tree →
• An eternal flame burns at the war memorial. tree →
• My dad is an eternal optimist; he always thinks it'll be sunny. tree →
• They swore eternal friendship. tree →
• "Your blood grows thick from your eternal dreaming. tree →

Note

Adjective, not used with «more». Noun: eternity. Similar: everlasting, endless. «Eternal rest» (euphemism) is said about people who have died.

In Jewish tradition

It means without beginning or end; God is called eternal, and covenants and laws are said to last for ever.

Interpretation. Jewish tradition holds that God is eternal and outside time, and that the covenant and Torah are never cancelled.

Examples

• The eternal God is a dwelling-place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He thrust out the enemy from before thee, and said: 'Destroy.' (Torah DEU.33.27, JPS 1917) tree →
• Every one of them is an eternal covenant in order to preserve the human race for ever, according to its two-fold being: body and spirit. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →
• It teaches that a first cause, eternal, all-wise, almighty and holy, is the origin and the centre of the whole universe, from whom gradually all beings emanated. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →
• Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. (Prophets ISA.60.15, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Adjective, not used with «more». Noun: eternity. Similar: everlasting, endless. «Eternal rest» (euphemism) is said about people who have died.