prayer

noun

1. (uncountable)A practice of communicating with one's God, or with some spiritual entity.

   “Through prayer I ask for God's guidance.”

   “In many cultures, prayer involves singing.”

2. (countable)An act of praying.

   “Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer.”

   “In that spirit, we’ll close with the wish we always offer at the end of our annual review, although this time it’s more of a prayer: Happy new year.”

3. (countable, uncountable)The specific words or methods used for praying.

   “Christians recite the Lord's Prayer.”

   “For Baha'is, there's a difference between obligatory prayers and devotional prayers.”

4. (countable, uncountable)A meeting held for the express purpose of praying.

   “Grandpa never misses a chance to go to prayer.”

5. (countable)A request; a petition.

   “This, your honor, is my prayer; that all here be set free.”

6. (countable, singular, uncountable)The remotest hope or chance.

   “That team doesn't have a prayer of winning the championship.”

7. One who prays.

   “If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar / A hope-er^([sic]), a pray-er^([sic]), a magic bean buyer…”

   “Out of the 37 respondents, seven are infrequent prayers who prefer to leave the precise details of their prayer life ambiguous.”