prayer1
[prair]
- a devout petition to God or an object of worship.
- a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.
- the act or practice of praying to God or an object of worship.
- a formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying: the Lord's Prayer.
- prayers, a religious observance, either public or private, consisting wholly or mainly of prayer.
- that which is prayed for.
- a petition; entreaty.
- the section of a bill in equity, or of a petition, that sets forth the complaint or the action desired.
- a negligible hope or chance: Do you think he has a prayer of getting that job?
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Origin of prayer1
1250–1300; Middle English preiere < Old French < Medieval Latin precāria, noun use of feminine of precārius obtained by entreaty, equivalent to prec- (stem of prex) prayer + -ārius -ary; cf. precarious
prayer2
[prey-er]
- a person who prays.
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Origin of prayer2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for prayer
Contemporary Examples
Before I go out on tour, I ask for prayer and to help my family.
After the Thursday prayer, the crowd of Congressional staff and lawmakers posed in the iconic, "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" pose.
At the end of his prayer, the grand mufti whispered aloud: “May God accept it.”
Highway safety flares provided light as the clans joined by loss sought solace in prayer and song.
You are also not allowed to film or photograph a royal ‘at prayer’.
Historical Examples
"That contains the spirit of all prayer," said the old philosopher.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
The prayer concluded, Mr Clayton coldly requested me to retire.
The hymn, the portion of Scripture, and the prayer of Brother Buster.
It must have been written for the occasion, for the sentiment of it was in accordance with the prayer.
It was caused by the fall of Dr. Benson In the pew while kneeling in prayer.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
prayer1
- a personal communication or petition addressed to a deity, esp in the form of supplication, adoration, praise, contrition, or thanksgiving
- any other form of spiritual communion with a deity
- a similar personal communication that does not involve adoration, addressed to beings venerated as being closely associated with a deity, such as angels or saints
- the practice of prayingprayer is our solution to human problems
- (often plural) a form of devotion, either public or private, spent mainly or wholly prayingmorning prayers
- (capital when part of a recognized name) a form of words used in prayingthe Lord's Prayer
- an object or benefit prayed for
- an earnest request, petition, or entreaty
- law a request contained in a petition to a court for the relief sought by the petitioner
- slang a chance or hopeshe doesn't have a prayer of getting married
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Word Origin
C13 preiere, from Old French, from Medieval Latin precāria, from Latin precārius obtained by begging, from prex prayer
prayer2
- a person who prays
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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 prayer
n.
c.1300, from Old French prier "prayer, petition, request" (12c., Modern French prière), from Medieval Latin precaria "petition, prayer," noun use of Latin adjective precaria, fem. of precarius "obtained by prayer, given as a favor," from precari "to ask, beg, pray" (see pray). Related: Prayers.
Prayer-book attested from 1590s; prayer-meeting from 1780. To not have a prayer "have no chance" is from 1941.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper