Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who prays: "prayer" can refer to an individual who engages in the act of praying, especially to a deity.
   • A fixed set of words used in praying: It denotes a specific, often formal, text recited during worship or personal devotion.
   • A sincere or urgent request: This meaning extends to any earnest entreaty or appeal, not necessarily religious.
   • The act of communicating with a deity: It refers to the activity itself, involving petitions, adoration, contrition, or thanksgiving.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Person):

  • She is a devout prayer who attends service daily.
  • The prayer knelt quietly at the altar.

• Noun (Fixed Text):

  • He recited the Lord's Prayer.
  • The book contains prayers for different occasions.

• Noun (Earnest Request):

  • Their prayer for peace was heard by the leaders.
  • It was a heartfelt prayer for help in a time of crisis.

• Noun (Act of Communicating):

  • The act of prayer brought her comfort.
  • They gathered in prayer before the meal.

Advanced Usage

• "to be at prayer": to be engaged in the act of praying.

  • The congregation was at prayer when I entered.

• "a prayer of thanksgiving": a prayer expressing gratitude.

  • She offered a prayer of thanksgiving for her family's safety.

• "not to have a prayer" (idiomatic): to have no chance at all.

  • Without practice, you don't have a prayer of winning.

Variants and Related Words

• Pray (verb): to perform the act of prayer.

  • They pray every evening.

• Prayerful (adj.): characterized by or given to prayer.

  • She maintained a prayerful attitude.

• Prayer book (n.): a book containing prayers and liturgical texts.

  • He read from his prayer book.

Synonyms

• Petition: a formal request.
• Entreaty: an earnest or humble request.
• Supplication: the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.
• Devotee: a follower who is very enthusiastic about a particular subject or activity (similar to 'prayer' as a person).

Related Phrases

• Prayer meeting: a gathering of people for the purpose of praying together.

  • The community holds a weekly prayer meeting.

• Prayer wheel: a cylindrical wheel on a spindle, used in Tibetan Buddhism.

  • He turned the prayer wheel clockwise.

Related Idioms

• "On a wing and a prayer": doing something with only a slim hope of success.

  • The old car made it home on a wing and a prayer.

• "The answer to someone's prayer": exactly what someone wanted or needed.

  • The scholarship was the answer to her prayer.

Noun

1. someone who prays to God
2. a fixed text used in praying
3. earnest or urgent request
   • an entreaty to stop the fighting
   • an appeal for help
   • an appeal to the public to keep calm
4. reverent petition to a deity
5. the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
   • the priest sank to his knees in prayer