prayer

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A reverent petition made to God, a god, or another object of worship.
2. n. The act of making a reverent petition to God, a god, or another object of worship.
3. n. An act of communion with God, a god, or another object of worship, such as in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving: One evening a week, the family would join together in prayer.
4. n. A specially worded form used to address God, a god, or another object of worship.
5. n. A religious observance in which praying predominates: morning prayers.
6. n. A fervent request: Her prayer for rain was granted at last.
7. n. The thing requested: His safe arrival was their only prayer.
8. n. The slightest chance or hope: In a storm the mountain climbers won't have a prayer.
9. n. Law The request of a complainant, as stated in a complaint or in equity, that the court grant the aid or relief solicited.
10. n. Law The section of the complaint or bill that contains this request.
11. n. One who prays.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of beseeching, entreating, or supplicating; supplication; entreaty; petition; suit.
2. n. In religious usage, a devout petition to an object of worship, as God, or a saint or an angel; an orison: confined in Protestant usage to such petitions addressed to God; more generally, any spiritual communion with God, including confession, petition, adoration, praise, and thanksgiving. See dulia.
3. n. The practice of praying, or of communing with God.
4. n. The form of words used in praying; a formula of worship: as, the Lord's Prayer.
5. n. A form of religious service; a religious observance, either public or private, consisting mainly of prayer to God; a liturgy: often in the plural: as, the service of morning prayer; family prayers.
6. n. That part of a memorial or petition to a public body, or of a bill of complaint in equity, which specifies the thing desired to be done or granted, as distinct from the recital of facts or reasons for the grant.
7. n. See the qualifying words.
8. n. One who prays; a suppliant; a petitioner.

Wiktionary

1. n. A practice of communicating with one's God.
2. n. The act of praying.
3. n. The specific words or methods used for praying.
4. n. A meeting held for the express purpose of praying.
5. n. A request; a petition.
6. n. One who prays.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. One who prays; a supplicant.
2. n. The act of praying, or of asking a favor; earnest request or entreaty; hence, a petition or memorial addressed to a court or a legislative body.
3. n. The act of addressing supplication to a divinity, especially to the true God; the offering of adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving to the Supreme Being
4. n. The form of words used in praying; a formula of supplication; an expressed petition; especially, a supplication addressed to God

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a fixed text used in praying
2. n. someone who prays to God
3. n. earnest or urgent request
4. n. the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
5. n. reverent petition to a deity