Phraseologisms - stable combinations of words - appear due to historical events and persons, fiction, folk sayings and other factors. Many such expressions came into our speech from the Bible. For example, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.”
The meaning of phraseology, its origin and use, we will consider in this article. We learn its interpretation with the help of reliable sources - explanatory and phraseological dictionaries of famous linguists.
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness": the meaning of phraseology
In the explanatory dictionary of S. I. Ozhegov, the following definition is given to this expression: "an unanswered call, an unheeded plea." There is a stylistic mark "book".
In the phraseological dictionary edited by M. I. Stepanova, the following interpretation of the expression is given: "a passionate call for something that remained unanswered due to indifference or misunderstanding of people." Also marked "book".
Roze T. V.'s phrasebook also has a definition of "a voice crying in the wilderness." The meaning of phraseologism in it concerns useless appeals that remain withoutattention.
Next, let's look at how this combination of words appeared.
Origin of the expression "a voice crying in the wilderness"
For an etymological review, we will also use the dictionaries indicated by us. The explanatory notes that the expression came from the gospel parable of John the Baptist, who in the desert in front of people who did not understand him called to open the paths and souls of Jesus Christ.
Rose T. V. also gives the history of the origin of phraseology in his dictionary. She tells readers the following.
There is a biblical legend about a Hebrew prophet who called the Israelites out of the wilderness to prepare for a meeting with God. To do this, he writes in his dictionary to Rose T. V., he proposed laying roads in the steppes, lowering mountains, leveling the surface of the earth and doing many other works. But the hermit prophet was not heard.
From that moment on, the phrase “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” has such a meaning as vain persuasion and calls that no one takes seriously.
Biblical meaning of phraseology
The definitions given in the dictionaries are not entirely correct. The biblical meaning of this expression is different. John the Baptist called for repentance. His voice (voice) was heard on the banks of the Jordan. People who heard him spread the word about him, and others came to hear him. Crowds gathered around him. John baptized people with Jordanian water to wash them from their sins and preached.
Jesus' path was laid onhuman hearts, which were made of stone, nested snakes in themselves. It was difficult for Christ to walk this road. Therefore, the angel of God John prepared this path, tried to make it straight. He corrected the curvature of people's hearts. Therefore, the expression we are considering should also be interpreted as a call to repentance and correction.
Use
The expression we are considering is not obsolete. It has been actively used and is being used by writers, publicists, journalists and all those who use fixed expressions to express their thoughts.
N. P. Ogarev in the preface to the periodical "The Bell" by Herzen writes: "the voice of one crying in the wilderness alone was heard in a foreign land." This newspaper was published in London and was directed against censorship and serfdom. The set expression used by Ogarev, which we are considering, succinctly conveyed the thoughts of the author.
The phrase “voice crying in the wilderness” is often used in headlines.
