apocalypse
verbEtymology
From Middle English apocalips, from Latin apocalypsis, from Ancient Greek ἀποκάλυψις (apokálupsis, “revelation”, literally “uncovering”), from ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalúptō, “to reveal”), from ἀπό (apó, “back, away from”) + καλύπτω (kalúptō, “to cover”), + -σις (-sis, suffix forming nouns). The sense evolution to "catastrophe, end of the world" stems from the depiction of such events in the biblical Book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse of (i.e. Revelation to) John. The verb is from the noun and, in sense 1, a semantic loan from the etymonic Ancient Greek verb ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalúptō, “to reveal”).
1
Christianity Uncommon To reveal.
- The transitory sufferings of the present time can never be put in competition with the glory which shall be apocalypsed in us; for even the creation itself, which shall not possess the glory, shall nevertheless derive from them such real solid benefit, such true freedom from real ills, that she also is desirous of our apocalypse.1832 March 17, Joseph D’Arcy Sirr, “Appendix”, in The First Resurrection Considered in a Series of Letters: […], Philadelphia, Pa.: Orrin Rogers, […] E. G. Dorsey, […], published 1841, →OCLC, page 155:
- For the information of the mere English reader we may remark that apocalupsis is derived from a verb which signifies “to uncover, bring to light what was hidden.” […] Now, when this shall be the order of the day, the nations will have been apocalypsed by him who will be “the glory of Israel.” […] Such is, and such will continue to be, the spiritual condition of the world until then. But when they have been apocalypsed, or illuminated, the change will be glorious. […] Having spoken peace to the nations, and being established in his glory, the day of Jehovah’s exaltation will have been apocalypsed, or revealed—that day in which, it is testified, “Jehovah alone shall be exalted”—Isaiah ii. 10, 11, 16, 17.1869, John Thomas, “Who are the Servants of God”, in Eureka: An Exposition of the Apocalypse, in Harmony with “The Things of the Kingdom of the Deity, and the Name of Jesus Anointed”, 2nd edition, volume I, West Hoboken, N.J.: […] [T]he author, →OCLC, chapter I (The source from which the Apocalypse emanated; […]), section I, pages 24 and 26:
4 more examples
- “And that man of sin be revealed—apocalypsed—the son of perdition; the opposing one who exalts himself against all that is called God.” […] “And then shall be apocalypsed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth, and will paralyse with the forth-shining of His arrival.[…]”1895, J[ohn] S[axton] Mabie, “Prophetic Convention. […] The Man of Sin: A Personal Antichrist.—II.”, in R[obert] McKilliam, editor, The Morning Star: […], London: Alfred Holness, […]; Glasgow: R[obert] L[ightbody] Allan & Son, […], →OCLC, page 43, column 2:
- Jesus said to Peter, when he first realized the true character of the Messiah, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [ἀποκάλυψε] it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven [hath apocalypsed it unto thee].” […] Mind can know nothing by logical inference concerning God, the Trinity, incarnation, immortality, resurrection, and truths, of this class, for they lie beyond the logical powers of the natural man and, if known, must be apocalypsed.1896 September, A. J. Nelson, “Art[icle] III.—Paul’s Psychology.”, in William V[alentine] Kelley, editor, The Methodist Review. […], volume LXXVIII (XII, Fifth Series), number 5 (421 overall), New York, N.Y.: Eaton & Mains; Cincinnati, Oh.: Curts & Jennings, →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 725–726:
- We chewed breaded blasphemy in our pews, / Then gulped Welch’s grape juice, bile, and venom, / While alabaster Christ carped like a cop, / His lips apocalypsing our asses.2001, George Elliott Clarke, Blue, Kentville, N.S.: Gaspereau Press, published 2011, →ISBN, page 25:
- Still and all, there’s hope, crushed underfoot but radical, that some unlikely spring the happenforce that heals may ply its therapy not only in the wintered world but in each wounded and degraded heart, apocalypsing us into whatever paradise is possible, all obscenity absolved, when only lovers in their greening time will come wandering over the hill.2010, Richard Carlile, “A Plainsong for All Seasons”, in The Lives of Our Time: Six Sequences, Tarbert, Argyll: Triquetra Press, →ISBN, section III, page 91:
- “To Las Vegas? When was that?” “About four months before she died. When he was twenty-one. Just before he started in on all that preaching and apocalypsing business. […] Had him a vision, he said, and God told him to change his name to Sam-u-el Mor-de-cai. And ever since then he’s been apocalypsing and doing all them cult things you read about in the newspaper.”1995, Mary Willis Walker, chapter 6, in Under the Beetle’s Cellar (Molly Cates; 2), New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, →ISBN, page 73:
- This doesn’t mean that you pretend the tornado in Kansas didn’t happen. Perhaps it spurs you to think about emergency preparedness. But you’ll be planning proactively, in the present, not worrying or apocalypsing.2010, Teresa Griffith, “Perspective of Time”, in Love Your Skeletons, [Morrisville, N.C.]: [Lulu.com], published January 2012 (3rd printing), →ISBN, part 3 (Care and Maintenance of Your Skeletons), pages 200–201:
2 more examples
- In one respect only was Donald Trump indebted to the conservative movement that Ronald Reagan founded: it bequeathed to him an angry, fearful base, which he was even more adept at manipulating than movement leaders had been. He destroyed his Republican adversaries by out-apocalypsing them.2017, Mark Lilla, “Anti-Politics”, in The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics, New York, N.Y.: Harper, →ISBN, page 53:
- And it was definitely a white American fear, of losing my status, my power. The fear manifested in me as an amorphous foreboding, a discomfort with being subject to the planet and its miracles the same as everyone else was. […] How would my fear change if I stopped apocalypsing and tried to embody this moment in collapse?2024, Manjula Martin, “Smoke”, in The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History, New York, N.Y.: Pantheon Books, →ISBN, page 166:
- The fourth age of this Lunaeon is alive with povertous homage / For those whom^([sic]) chew upon the Rockking’s wealth / And worship his unlovable stone / Apocalypsing an end to this ever-there-be-day / Wear a cloak of benightly screaming / Banshees, eager to roam whence / Windrom releases their pent rage2011, D.j.W., “REALMWOL”, in The Rockking (Realmwol; instalment 4, series 2), [Morrisville, N.C.]: Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 153:
- ROBOT APOCALYPSE / Of all the apocalypses, this is my favorite. So much better than the zombie apocalypse, […] Instead of having some drooling, extremely gross-looking shuffling moron take a bite out of me and turn me into a drooling moron ([…]), I imagine C-3PO politely harvesting my organs for some terribly important reason that just happens to escape him at the moment. But really, it’s a Sophie’s choice, and I would actually prefer not to be apocalypsed on in the first place.2018, Andy McElfresh, “Anything to that Sci-Fi Trope?”, in The Edumacation Book: Amazing Cocktail-Party Science to Impress Your Friends, San Francisco, Calif.: Weldon Owen, →ISBN, page 282:
1 more example
- “Robots still win,” I said. “What about if the robots don’t start…apocalypsing, until after half of humanity is turned?” “Robots still win,” I said, “easy.”2019, Thomas Harper, chapter 13, in Incarnate: Essence, →ISBN, page 151: