ABBEY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does abbey mean? 

• ABBEY (noun)
  The noun ABBEY has 3 senses:

1. a church associated with a monastery or convent

2. a convent ruled by an abbess

3. a monastery ruled by an abbot

  Familiarity information: ABBEY used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ABBEY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A church associated with a monastery or convent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("abbey" is a kind of...):

church; church building (a place for public (especially Christian) worship)

Derivation:

abbatial (of or having to do with or belonging to an abbey or abbot, or abbess)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A convent ruled by an abbess

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("abbey" is a kind of...):

convent (a religious residence especially for nuns)

Derivation:

abbatial (of or having to do with or belonging to an abbey or abbot, or abbess)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A monastery ruled by an abbot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("abbey" is a kind of...):

monastery (the residence of a religious community)

Derivation:

abbatial (of or having to do with or belonging to an abbey or abbot, or abbess)

 Context examples 

Once or twice it came quite close, but was, I suppose, frightened at seeing me, and flitted away across the harbour towards the abbey.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

By the rood! if I had my will upon ye, I should nail you upon the abbey doors, as they hang vermin before their holes.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

No summons, however, arrived; and at last, on seeing a carriage drive up to the abbey, she was emboldened to descend and meet him under the protection of visitors.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Alas! it is a hard, cruel world, and I would that I had never left my abbey cell.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The time and distance seemed endless, and my knees trembled and my breath came laboured as I toiled up the endless steps to the abbey.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

She, who had so longed to be in an abbey!

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

“If you are, as I understand, to shut yourself forever in your cell within the four walls of an abbey, then of what use would it be were your prayer to be answered?”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

To my left the view is cut off by a black line of roof of the old house next the abbey.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Again they parted—but Eleanor was called back in half a minute to receive a strict charge against taking her friend round the abbey till his return.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Yes, I have ridden much at the abbey.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)