bema

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be·ma

 (bē′mə)
n. pl. be·ma·ta (-mə-tə)
1. Judaism The platform from which services are conducted in a synagogue. Also called almemar.
2. Eastern Orthodox Church The area of a church in which the altar is located; the sanctuary.
[Ultimately from Greek bēma, step, platform; see gwā- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

bema

(ˈbiːmə) ,

bimah

or

bima

n
1. (Historical Terms) the speaker's platform in the assembly in ancient Athens
2. (Eastern Church (Greek & Russian Orthodox)) Eastern Orthodox Church a raised area surrounding the altar in a church; the sanctuary
3. (Judaism) Judaism another word for almemar
[C17: via Late Latin, from Greek bēma, from bainein to go]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

be•ma

(ˈbi mə)

n., pl. -ma•ta (-mə tə) -mas.
1. the enclosed space around the altar in an Eastern church.
2. Also, bimah. a platform in a synagogue for the table used when reading from the Torah.
[1675–85; < Greek bêma step, platform =bē-, variant s. of baínein to step, go + -ma n. suffix of result; (definition 3) (< Yiddish bime) < Hebrew bīmāh < Greek]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.bema - area around the altar of a church for the clergy and choirbema - area around the altar of a church for the clergy and choir; often enclosed by a lattice or railing
chancel, sanctuary
area - a part of a structure having some specific characteristic or function; "the spacious cooking area provided plenty of room for servants"
choir - the area occupied by singers; the part of the chancel between sanctuary and nave
church building, church - a place for public (especially Christian) worship; "the church was empty"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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Because in the oligarchical State they are disqualified and driven from office, and therefore they cannot train or gather strength; whereas in a democracy they are almost the entire ruling power, and while the keener sort speak and act, the rest keep buzzing about the bema and do not suffer a word to be said on the other side; hence in democracies almost everything is managed by the drones.
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In the distance was the ancient, but still almost perfect Temple of Theseus, and close by, looking to the west, was the Bema, from whence Demosthenes thundered his philippics and fired the wavering patriotism of his countrymen.
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