break the Sabbath
Work on Sunday
To break the Sabbath is to violate the religious requirement of rest on the designated holy day—Saturday for Jews and some Christians, Sunday for most Christians.
The prohibition traditionally covers work, commerce, and travel.
What constitutes breaking it varies widely: She wouldn't even turn on a light switch, afraid of breaking the Sabbath.
The phrase carries weight mainly in observant communities.
- run afoul ofCome into conflict with
- workEffort toward a goal
- desecrationViolating something sacred
- profanationViolation of sanctity
- blue lawsSabbath activity restrictions
Sunday trading · driving · lighting fire · holy day · day of rest · cooking · Puritanism · transgression · carrying · legalism · religious law · disobedience · sacrilege · rest day · impiety · orthodoxy · violation · Shabbat
break the Sabbathkeep the Sabbath
Honor weekly holy rest
observe the Sabbath · obey · follow · keep holy · worship
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