mansion

mansion
/man"sheuhn/, n.
1. a very large, impressive, or stately residence.
2. See manor house.
3. Often, mansions. Brit. a large building with many apartments; apartment house.
4. Oriental and Medieval Astron. each of 28 divisions of the ecliptic occupied by the moon on successive days.
5. Archaic. an abode or dwelling place.
[1325-75; ME < L mansion- (s. of mansio) an abiding, abode. See MANSE, -ION]

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also called  House,  

      scenic device used in medieval theatrical staging. Individual mansions represented different locales in biblical stories and in scenes from the life of Christ as performed in churches. A mansion consisted of a small booth containing a stage with corner posts supporting a canopy and decorated curtains and often a chair and props to be used by the actors in that scene. Mansions were usually arranged elliptically in the nave of the church. Appropriate architectural features of the church were also used as mansions: the crypt served as the tomb of Christ or as hell and the choir loft was frequently used as heaven.

      With the advent of outdoor staging, the booths were arranged in a row across the back of a raised stage. The mansions for heaven and hell occupied opposite ends, and those representing earthly locales were placed between them. In another arrangement, the mansions were placed around the periphery of a courtyard or city square, with heaven and hell on opposite sides. Mansion construction also grew more elaborate for outdoor performance, especially for those representing heaven and hell. The heaven mansion was often bi-level, with the Garden of Eden represented on the lower level. That representing hell was sometimes built to resemble a huge demonic head, the mouth of which served as an entrance, spewing smoke and fire during a performance.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Mansión — Pittock en Portland, Estados Unidos Una mansión o palacete es una vivienda suntuosa y de grandes proporciones. Suele ser un edificio aislado, con jardín propio y dotado de grandes comodidades. A menudo se les conoce por los nombres de sus… …   Wikipedia Español

  • mansion — [ mɑ̃sjɔ̃ ] n. f. • XIIIe, repris 1855; lat. mansio « séjour, demeure » ♦ Hist. littér. Chaque partie du décor simultané, sur une scène de théâtre, au Moyen Âge. ⊗ HOM. Mention. ● mansion nom féminin (latin mansio, onis, habitation) Au Moyen Âge …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Mansion — Man sion, n. [OF. mansion, F. maison, fr. L. mansio a staying, remaining, a dwelling, habitation, fr. manere, mansum, to stay, dwell; akin to Gr. ?. Cf. {Manse}, {Manor}, {Menagerie}, {Menial}, {Permanent}.] 1. A dwelling place, whether a part or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mansion — mid 14c., chief residence of a lord, from O.Fr. mansion stay, permanent abode, house, habitation, home; mansion; state, situation (13c.), from L. mansionem (nom. mansio) a staying, a remaining, night quarters, station, noun of action from pp.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • mansión — sustantivo femenino 1. Casa grande tradicional o con mucho lujo: La familia tiene una mansión señorial en el pueblo. El mayordomo de la mansión del señor conde se ha negado a hacer declaraciones …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • mansion — MANSIÓN s. n.. 1. (ant.) loc de popas pentru călători şi curieri oficiali de a lungul unui drum în lumea romană. 2. (în evul mediu) parte a decorului unui teatru unde se desfăşura succesiv acţiunea fiecărei scene. (< fr. mansion, lat. mansio)… …   Dicționar Român

  • Mansion — C est en Moselle que le nom est le plus répandu, mais on le trouve aussi dans d autres départements (41 notamment) ainsi qu en Belgique. Il correspond en principe à l ancien français mansion (= demeure, maison), mais on peut aussi penser à un nom …   Noms de famille

  • mansión — (Del lat. mansĭo, ōnis). 1. f. Detención o estancia en una parte. 2. Morada, albergue. 3. Casa suntuosa. hacer mansión. fr. Detenerse en una parte …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • mansion — [man′shən] n. [ME mansioun < OFr mansion < L mansio, a sojourn, dwelling < pp. of manere, to remain, dwell: see MANOR] 1. Archaic a manor house 2. a large, imposing house; stately residence 3. Archaic a) a dwelling place b) …   English World dictionary

  • Mansion — Man sion, v. i. To dwell; to reside. [Obs.] Mede. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mansion — [n] very large house abode, building, castle, chateau, dwelling, estate, habitation, hall, home, manor, palace, residence, seat, villa; concepts 439,516 Ant. hut …   New thesaurus

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