Lenten
Of forty days
Lenten relates to Lent, the forty-day period of fasting and penitence before Easter in the Christian calendar.
A Lenten fast or Lenten discipline involves giving something up.
The word extends to anything spare, austere, or meager: a Lenten meal, Lenten fare.
The association with deprivation colors the figurative uses.
Deliberate food avoidance
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- Ash WednesdayLent's opening day
- purpleHue between crimson and azure
sacrifice · prayer · almsgiving · repentance · solemnity · confession · devotion · vigil
Severely simple and unadorned
- sparseThinly scattered or distributed
- meagerDeficient in quantity
- bareLacking any covering
- somberGravely serious in mood
subdued · restrained · plain · unadorned · stark · ascetic · frugal · severe
Without animal flesh
- fishGilled aquatic vertebrate
- vegetarianOne who abstains from flesh
- abstainingVoluntarily doing without
- frugalSparing with resources
simple · plain · sparse · modest · unleavened · fasting · soup · bread
Recoiling metal spiral
- forty daysScriptural trial duration
- vernalRelating to spring
- MarchYear's third month
- AprilYear's fourth month
lengthening · daylight · renewal · anticipation · preparation · waiting · transitional · snowdrops
fasting
Deliberate food avoidance
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- Ash WednesdayLent's opening day
purple · sacrifice · prayer · almsgiving · repentance · solemnity · confession · devotion · vigil · stations
austere
Severely simple and unadorned
somber · subdued · restrained · plain · unadorned · stark · ascetic · frugal · severe · bleak
meatless
Without animal flesh
- fishGilled aquatic vertebrate
- vegetarianOne who abstains from flesh
- abstainingVoluntarily doing without
frugal · simple · plain · sparse · modest · unleavened · fasting · soup · bread · water
spring
Recoiling metal spiral
- forty daysScriptural trial duration
- vernalRelating to spring
- MarchYear's third month
April · lengthening · daylight · renewal · anticipation · preparation · waiting · transitional · snowdrops · crocuses
Lentenfestive
Cheerfully celebratory
carnival · celebratory · Mardi Gras · joyous · merry
Lentensumptuous
Splendidly rich and costly
indulgent · feasting · lavish · luxurious · gluttonous
LentenEaster
Resurrection commemoration day
Eastertide · Carnival · Mardi Gras · Christmas · Epiphany
- lent a handProvided voluntary assistance
- lent an earListened with care
- Lenten fastReligious pre-Easter restraint
- lent support
- Lenten seasonPre-Easter penitential period