What John did to Jesus in the Jordan

verb

1. To administer baptism see baptism to

   "baptize a child in the Episcopal Church"

2. To purify or cleanse spiritually especially by a purging see purge experience or ordeal

   "… baptized with pain and rapture, tears and fire …"

3. Initiate

   "Both developments were baptized under last season's conditions of scanty snow …"

4. To give a name to (as at baptism) christen

   "They baptized their son "John" after the baby's grandfather."

5. To administer baptism