sinful

Everyday

1. (church) Wrong according to God's law or religious teaching; full of sin. tree →
2. (informal, humorous) Very naughty or too much: «a sinfully rich chocolate cake». tree →

In the lessons

In church and Bible lessons: Christians believe all people are sinful and need forgiveness; confession and repentance follow. In everyday jokes: «sinful desserts». Phrases: «sinful behaviour», «sinfully delicious».

Examples

• Christians believe that people are sinful and need God's forgiveness. tree →
• The priest spoke about sinful thoughts. tree →
• That chocolate cake is sinfully rich! tree →
• The story showed how sinful greed can be. tree →
• She felt sinful eating three doughnuts. tree →
• In the Bible, people turned away from sinful ways. tree →
• "What are you doing, you children?" cried the gentle lady; "that is sinful!" tree →

Note

From «sin» + «-ful». Adverb «sinfully». The humorous sense is light-hearted and not about religion.

In Jewish tradition

In church and Bible lessons: Christians believe all people are sinful and need forgiveness; confession and repentance follow. In everyday jokes: «sinful desserts». Phrases: «sinful behaviour», «sinfully delicious».

Examples

• And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. (Torah NUM.32.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly; they have forsaken the LORD, they have contemned the Holy One of Israel, they are turned away backward. (Prophets ISA.1.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD. (Prophets AMO.9.8, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

From «sin» + «-ful». Adverb «sinfully». The humorous sense is light-hearted and not about religion.