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prayingmore about praying

praying

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Praying  \Pray"ing\, 
  a.  &  n.  from  {Pray},  v. 
 
  {Praying  insect},  {locust},  or  mantis  (Zo["o]l.),  a  mantis, 
  especially  {Mantis  religiosa}.  See  {Mantis}. 
 
  {Praying  machine},  or  {Praying  wheel},  a  wheel  on  which 
  prayers  are  pasted  by  Buddhist  priests,  who  then  put  the 
  wheel  in  rapid  revolution.  Each  turn  in  supposed  to  have 
  the  efficacy  of  an  oral  repetition  of  all  the  prayers  on 
  the  wheel.  Sometimes  it  is  moved  by  a  stream. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pray  \Pray\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Prayed};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Praying}.]  [OE.  preien,  OF  preier,  F.  prier,  L.  precari, 
  fr  prex,  precis,  a  prayer,  a  request;  akin  to  Skr.  prach  to 
  ask  AS  frignan  fr[=i]nan,  fricgan  G.  fragen,  Goth. 
  fra['i]hnan.  Cf  {Deprecate},  {Imprecate},  {Precarious}.] 
  To  make  request  with  earnestness  or  zeal,  as  for  something 
  desired;  to  make  entreaty  or  supplication;  to  offer  prayer  to 
  a  deity  or  divine  being  as  a  religious  act  specifically,  to 
  address  the  Supreme  Being  with  adoration,  confession, 
  supplication,  and  thanksgiving. 
 
  And  to  his  goddess  pitously  he  preyde.  --Chaucer. 
 
  When  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou 
  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in 
  secret;  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret  shall 
  reward  thee  openly.  --Matt.  vi  6. 
 
  {I  pray},  or  (by  ellipsis)  {Pray},  I  beg;  I  request;  I 
  entreat  you  --  used  in  asking  a  question,  making  a 
  request,  introducing  a  petition,  etc.;  as  Pray,  allow  me 
  to  go 
 
  I  pray,  sir.  why  am  I  beaten?  --Shak. 
 
  Syn:  To  entreat;  supplicate;  beg;  implore;  invoke;  beseech; 
  petition.




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