holy of holies

A place of awe or sacredness, as in The corporate board room is the holy of holies here. This expression is a translation of the Hebrew term for the sanctuary inside the tabernacle of the Temple of Jerusalem, where the sacred Ark of the Covenant was kept (Exodus 26:34). Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1800s.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Ramessu	-	Ancient Egyptian
Haleigh	HAY-lee	English (Modern)
Arrowsmith	['ærəusmiθ]
Barclay	-	Scottish, English (Rare)
Urh	-	Slovene
Mcgill	[mə'gil]