martyr \Mar"tyr\, n. [AS., from L. martyr, Gr. ma'rtyr, ma'rtys, prop., a
witness; cf. Skr. sm[.r] to remember, E. memory.] 1. One who, by his death,
bears witness to the truth of the gospel; one who is put to death for his religion;
as, Stephen was the first Christian martyr. --Chaucer.
To be a martyr, signifies only to witness the truth of Christ; but the witnessing
of the truth was then so generally attended with persecution, that martyrdom
now signifies not only to witness, but to witness by death --South.
2. Hence, one who sacrifices his life, his station, or what is of great value to
him, for the sake of principle, or to sustain a cause.
Then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell, Thou fall'st a blessed martyr ! --Shak.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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