Levirate law
from Latin levir, “a husband’s brother,” the name of an ancient custom ordained by Moses, by which, when an Israelite died without issue, his surviving brother was required to marry the widow, so as to continue his brother’s family through the son that might be born of that marriage (Gen. 38:8; Deut. 25:5-10; comp. Ruth 3; 4:10). Its object was “to raise up seed to the departed brother.”
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[ley-vee-strous] /ˈleɪ viˈstraʊs/ noun 1. Claude, 1908–2009, French anthropologist and educator, born in Belgium: founder of structural anthropology. /ˈlɛvɪˈstraʊs; French levistros/ noun 1. Claude (klod). (1908–2009) French anthropologist, leading exponent of structuralism. His books include The Elementary Structures of Kinship (1969), Totemism (1962), The Savage Mind (1966), Mythologies (1964–71), and Saudades do Brazil (Memories of […]
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[lev-i-teyt] /ˈlɛv ɪˌteɪt/ verb (used without object), levitated, levitating. 1. to rise or float in the air, especially as a result of a supernatural power that overcomes gravity. verb (used with object), levitated, levitating. 2. to cause to rise or float in the air. /ˈlɛvɪˌteɪt/ verb 1. to rise or cause to rise and float […]
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[lee-vahyt] /ˈli vaɪt/ noun 1. a member of the tribe of Levi. 2. a descendant of Levi, especially one appointed to assist the priests in the temple or tabernacle. /ˈliːvaɪt/ noun 1. (Old Testament) a member of the priestly tribe of Levi 2. (Judaism) another word for Levi2 a descendant of the tribe of Levi […]
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[lev-i-ter] /ˈlɛv ɪ tər/ adverb 1. (in prescriptions) lightly.