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praise

[preyz]
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noun
  1. the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation.
  2. the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship: a hymn of praise to God.
  3. the state of being approved or admired: The king lived in praise for many years.
  4. Archaic. a ground for praise, or a merit.
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verb (used with object), praised, prais·ing.
  1. to express approval or admiration of; commend; extol.
  2. to offer grateful homage to (God or a deity), as in words or song.
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Idioms
  1. sing someone's praises, to praise someone publicly and enthusiastically: He is always singing his wife's praises.
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Origin of praise

1175–1225; (v.) Middle English preisen < Old French preisier to value, prize < Late Latin pretiāre, derivative of Latin pretium price, worth, reward; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the v.; see prize2
Related formspraise·ful, adjectivepraise·ful·ly, adverbpraise·less, adjectiveprais·er, nounhalf-praised, adjectivehalf-prais·ing, adjectiveout·praise, verb (used with object), out·praised, out·prais·ing.re·praise, verb (used with object), re·praised, re·prais·ing.self-praise, nounself-prais·ing, adjectivesu·per·praise, noun, verb (used with object), su·per·praised, su·per·prais·ing.un·praised, adjectiveun·praise·ful, adjectiveun·prais·ing, adjective

Synonyms

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1. acclamation, plaudit, applause, approbation, compliment. 2. encomium, eulogy, panegyric. 5. laud, applaud, eulogize. 6. glorify, exalt, honor.

Synonym study

5. See approve.

Antonyms

1. condemnation. 5. depreciate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

appreciativecongratulatoryrespectfulpolitesympatheticpositiveencouragingbenignagreeablesupportiveflatteringacclamatoryapprobatorycommendatoryadulatoryapprobativeencomiasticeulogisticlaudativepanegyrical

Examples from the Web for praiseful

Historical Examples

  • For still, as she tells me, he speaks kind and praiseful things of me.

    Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)

    Samuel Richardson

  • He said praiseful and appreciative things about the girl, but didn't dwell upon that detail or make it prominent.

    The American Claimant

    Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

  • Help us to see Thy name on blessings that we never recognized, so that we may now be praiseful where we have been indifferent.

    The Whole Armour of God

    John Henry Jowett

  • At this point I strike out some other praiseful things which I was tempted to add.

    Following the Equator, Complete

    Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

  • "Best woman driver I ever saw," was the senator's praiseful rejoinder.

British Dictionary definitions for praiseful

praise

noun
  1. the act of expressing commendation, admiration, etc
  2. the extolling of a deity or the rendering of homage and gratitude to a deity
  3. the condition of being commended, admired, etc
  4. archaic the reason for praise
  5. sing someone's praises to commend someone highly
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verb (tr)
  1. to express commendation, admiration, etc, for
  2. to proclaim or describe the glorious attributes of (a deity) with homage and thanksgiving
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Derived Formspraiser, noun

Word Origin

C13: from Old French preisier, from Late Latin pretiāre to esteem highly, from Latin pretium prize; compare prize ², precious
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for praiseful

praise

v.

c.1300, "to laud, commend, flatter," from Old French preisier, variant of prisier "to praise, value," from Late Latin preciare, earlier pretiare (see price (n.)). Replaced Old English lof, hreþ.

Specifically with God as an object from late 14c. Related: Praised; praising. Now a verb in most Germanic languages (German preis, Danish pris, etc.), but only in English is it differentiated in form from cognate price.

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praise

n.

early 14c., not common until 16c., from praise (v.).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with praiseful

praise

In addition to the idiom beginning with praise

  • praise to the skies

also see:

  • damn with faint praise
  • sing someone's praises
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.