road to Damascus en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From the Bible New Testament book Acts of the Apostles. Referring to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul, to Christianity while travelling to Damascus to persecute Christians.
Meanings
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(attributive, idiomatic, often) An important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.
One of his biographers, the journalist Paul Vallely, suggested that, in reflecting during this period of exile on his own record under the junta, Francis experienced a road to Damascus moment, and thereafter became a more radical, fearless and outspoken priest. As pope he said on more than one occasion, “the truth is that I’m a sinner” and that as provincial he had had to learn from “my errors along the way”
2025 April 21, Peter Stanford, “Pope Francis obituary”, in The Guardian:The candidate is aggressively branding himself as Vernon 2.0, a kinder, gentler Vernon Jones, a bridge builder, a fence mender. Asked by a Rockdale editor about his “road to Damascus moment,” Jones laughs. “I got knocked off my donkey,” he says.
2010 February 14, Vernon Jones, quotee, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution:Today we hear a lot about those who have had what's often called Road to Damascus experiences on every issue from guns and same-sex marriage to the sanctity-of-life and taxes.
2007 March 5, Jim Brown, quoting Mike Huckabee, “Huckabee criticizes fellow GOP candidates over 'Damascus Road conversions'”, in One News Now, archived from the original on 08 Mar 2007:[…] That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.
2007 March 18, Will Hodgkinson, quoting Bryan Ferry, “Soundtrack of my life: Bryan Ferry”, in The Observer:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| roads to Damascus | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
metanoia · Damascene conversion · Acts of the Apostles
Translations (9)
fi käännekohta (important point of change or reversal) · af pad na Damaskus (important point of change or reversal) · es camino a Damasco (important point of change or reversal) · cmn 轉折點 /转折点 (important point of change or reversal) · fr chemin de Damas (important point of change or reversal) · pt estrada para Damasco (important point of change or reversal) · de Damaskuserlebnis (important point of change or reversal) · da vej til Damaskus (important point of change or reversal) · ru поворо́тный моме́нт (important point of change or reversal)