In the world today, many words and sayings come with different definitions and meanings for it. These meanings come through a sort of time line of definitions. These definitions are occupied by what are great ancestors thought would be a great definition for the words we have today. Throughout the dawning of the time these definitions changed throughout each decade, giving a greater meaning for each word in are vocabulary. With the words that we inquired throughout the centuries, in our dictionary, a whole lot of meanings came with them. If we didn't have any definitions for the words they wouldn't have any meaning. The language today would make no sense. They world would be in disarray. Everybody having their own definition for their own words. But that happens now days anyway. People read a definition for a word and put it into a sense that they can believe in, using examples or their own type of similarity to make them understand the word or words even more.
This is kind of backwards because or ancestors came up with different definitions for each word. Everybody knows that the definitions changed because one person had a different argument and disbelieve on what the word means. That's why if you look some dictionaries has a different meaning for a word. That's why people probably create similarities to make the word or group of words sink into their brains. That's the easiest way to do it. It is known that many people throughout history had different views on what the meaning of a word or words meant. The most famous one was in the Apology, in which Socrates, a famous philosopher, has like a little quarrel with Euthyphro, a younger prophet, about what is taught to be holy and what isn't to be holy. Socrates asks Euthyphryo what does he feel is the meaning of these words in regards to the gods. Euthyphryo avoids giving a clear definition and goes on giving many examples on what he feels is the true meaning based on what he feels the gods feel is holy and not holy. He gives examples on what his family feels about him being the prosecutor of his own father; his father was thought not to be a murderer but killed a murderer for the good of the community. In enlightment to this he compared his father of that to the god Zeus killing his own father and Zeus father killing his own father, basically it was a tradition to kill your father. So euthrpho tried to make it just puts Socrates states true indeed that is told in the books, but how do we now it to be true. Then he goes and asks for the definition to make him understand his perception on what he feels to be holy and unholy. But throughout the story Eutrypoho gives many examples which in return he receives a sarcastic remark from Socrates and in return Socrates still ask for a proper meaning of the words not a example. Finally, Socrates goes on continuing with his sarcasm and gives his true definition on what he feels to be holy and unholy. This makes Eutrhpho mad and he ends up leaving without giving him a formal definition.
The three examples giving by Euthyphro were o.k. but he never gave a formal definition. He gave many examples that all made it clear, but you would do the same like Socrates and be sarcastic. Like when Euthrypho deemed what is holy is deemed by the gods as to be right. And what is unholy is not deemed right by the gods. Euthrypho is a smart intelligent man, but his ways and what he was taught was a sense of what he was taught by his family. He believes in the spirituality of the gods' and not so much in his own belief. He doesn't know what is right from wrong. Only what the gods believe in is good, and can be bad. Like sacrificing is wrong, that was taught by the gods to be good. If not done bad things will happen to you and your family.
The point Socrates is believed to be trying to get out of him was that everything that we believe in has to have a meaning and can not just be shown by giving plenty of examples. Examples are good, but without a meaning to fall back on you will make no sense when asked for a definition afterwards. Definitions are important they make the realization of the word come true. Euthrypho understood that, but was confused. He didn't understand what he was stating. He kept giving examples and didn't realize till the end that he really didn't have definition for the words. He probably felt that his examples gave a clear justifications on the definition of the words ask to explained. He was getting mad you could tell when he brushed Socrates off and told him that he had to go.
Socrates clearly makes you understand why he wants a definition. You know when you do something wrong and they tell you that it is wrong but you feel it was right and you still go and argue. That's probably how he felt. Euthrypho felt he was right and Socrates played the parents role on why he felt he was wrong. That's where the sarcasm comes in. Reminds me of a parent, you have to prove to him way you believe in what he believes in. That's why he gave close to three examples on what is holy and what is not. Socrates had a different but true belief because he used his own judgment, not the gods. He makes you think using what the gods believe in, only makes you use the gods as a shortcut instead of using your own judgment. Using your own judgment is good. Make you use your critical judgment. Makes you give a clear and specific definition on what you believe in. If you don't have a definition, don't try to make it sound like you