Tophet

See also: tophet

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew תוֹפֶת (tôp̄eṯ).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtəʊfɪt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtoʊfɪt/
• Hyphenation: To‧phet

Proper noun

Tophet

1. (biblical) A location near Jerusalem in the valley of Gehenna where children were burned alive as sacrifice.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 7:31:

     And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

2. Hell, Gehenna.
   • 1638, Thomas Herbert, Some Yeares Travels, section II:

     In this Tophet, they commonly immolated their little children, and sometimes men of more yeers than discretion [...].

   • 1824, James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner:

     But already is the day of their avengement begun; the hero is at length arisen who shall send all such as bear enmity to the true Church, or trust in works of their own, to Tophet!

   • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter V, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

     “Well,” I says, “I cal'late a body could get used to Tophet if he stayed there long enough.” ¶ She flared up; the least mite of a slam at Doctor Wool was enough to set her going.