miracle

Everyday

1. A wonderful event that seems impossible and that some people believe is done by God. tree →
2. A very lucky or surprising event (it's a miracle nobody was hurt). tree →
3. Something amazing (a miracle of modern science). tree →

In the lessons

In religious education: stories of miracles. In everyday life and news: "It's a miracle we caught the bus!" In science: medicine is sometimes called a miracle of modern science. Phrases: a miracle cure, it's a miracle that, work miracles.

Examples

• It was a miracle that nobody was hurt in the crash. tree →
• The story tells of a miracle in which water turned into wine. tree →
• The new medicine worked like a miracle. tree →
• It'll be a miracle if my room is tidy by tonight! tree →
• Teachers can work miracles with tired children. tree →
• The cat's survival after the fall was a small miracle. tree →
• Is she not a miracle of beauty and grace? tree →

Note

Countable. Adjective: miraculous; adverb: miraculously. Trap: "miracle cure" adverts often promise too much — be careful about such claims.

In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: The writer treats the idea of place value as a wonder. Sefer Yetzirah's talk of numbers is read as the basis of this. In the primary lessons: In religious education: stories of miracles. In everyday life and news: "It's a miracle we caught the bus!" In science: medicine is sometimes called a miracle of modern science. Phrases: a miracle cure, it's a miracle that, work miracles.

Examples

• The principle of position is the "miracle" that makes one, many and many, one. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

Countable. Adjective: miraculous; adverb: miraculously. Trap: "miracle cure" adverts often promise too much — be careful about such claims.