prayer
/preə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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
- someone who prays to God
- a fixed text used in praying
- earnest or urgent request
- an entreaty to stop the fighting
- an appeal for help
- an appeal to the public to keep calm
- reverent petition to a deity
- 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