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dervish Definition

der·vish (dʉrvis̸h)

noun

a member of any of various Muslim religious groups dedicated to a life of poverty and chastity: some dervishes practice whirling, chanting, etc. as religious acts

Etymology: Turk dervish < Pers darvēsh, beggar

dervish Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • whirl: Around the same time I actually went to see the festival of the whirling dervishes in Anatolia, in central Turkey.
  • wander: He was introduced into the mystical path by a wandering dervish, Shamsuddin of Tabriz.
  • become: Somehow ( probably through magical means ) he gained the power to become a literal dervish of destruction whenever his tail is pulled.
  • kill: A view showing part of the ruins of the staircase on which the invading dervish killed Gordon on January 26 1885.

Adjective modifier

  • wounded: A view showing a man, possibly a correspondent, beside his camel watching a wounded dervish on the battlefield.
  • true: There is also the image of Allah preparing the helva for the true dervishes.

Modifies a noun

  • order: A mausoleum of Mohamed Hayati, who was the founder of this dervish order, can be found in the yard of the complex.
  • dance: Semplice answers once more for calm and is whisked away into an almost Dervish dance via a mini fanfare.
  • whirl: Here, too, is the unique experience of watching the dervishes whirl in pious Konya.

Noun used with modifier

dancing: CONCLUDING COMMENTS Not a particularly memorable month with just a few ' dancing dervishes ' thrown in for good measure.

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