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Meanings of tonsure in English

The Christian practice of shaving the top of the head so as to create a crown of hair.

Usage of tonsure in English
1
Here he was accepted, and in a short time received the tonsure.
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Carlisle / A Descript...
2
Yawning, he scratched his unruly tonsure back into place as he listened.
The water room
3
I shaved my head, so that the tonsure was no longer visible.
The Garden of Allah
4
This is no shameless priest, like so many that disgrace the tonsure.
The Bravo: A Tale
5
Apollyon had a just discernible tonsure, but probably no right to it.
Miscellaneous Studies; a series of essays
6
First the tonsure, then Minor Orders, then subdeaconship, then deaconship, then priesthood.
Baltimore Catechism, No. 4 / An Explanation of the Baltimore Cat...
7
We have as much to fear from the tonsure as from the hauberk.
The White Company
8
He resolved to eliminate the tonsure and dress in citizens' clothes.
Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 09 / Little J...
9
He also disposed of his benefices, which were only held by simple tonsure.
One Hundred Merrie And Delightsome Stories / Right Pleasaunte To...
10
Although he was an archbishop he had only the first tonsure.
Lucretia Borgia According to Original Documents and Corresponden...
11
NOTE 2.-Thisfashion of tonsure is mentioned by Barbaro and Chardin.
The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1
12
But the tonsure had then been very small, hardly larger than a penny.
Abbe Mouret's Transgression
13
If I dared imagine that I should be less insupportable with a tonsure-
The Malady of the Century
14
Bran regarded the man's disgraceful robe, bare feet, ragged tonsure, and untidy beard.
Hood
15
This he opened, and discovered the false tonsure and friar's gown.
The Pacha of Many Tales
16
His black hair was trimmed short and his tonsure newly shaved.
Scarlet
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More collocations
Tonsure through the time
Tonsure across language varieties
United Kingdom
Common