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rce or influence; efficacious; persuasive. Shak. Saints shall assist thee with prevailing prayers. Rowe.

unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thess. iv. 15. We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us. Bk. of Common Prayer. Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen. Prior.

A kneeling desk for prayers.

The office or character of a priest; the priestly function. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

Originally, a small prayer book for church service, containing the little office of the Virgin Mary; also, a work of elementary religious instruction. The primer, or office of the Blessed Virgin. Bp. Stillingfleet.

A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I. Shak. What was that scream for, I prithee L'Estrange. Prithee, tell me, Dimple-chin. E. C. Stedman.

individual; secret; secluded; lonely; solitary; as, a private room or apartment; private prayer. Reason . . . then retires Into her private cell when nature rests. Milton.

of friendship; a profession of faith. A solemn vow, promise, and profession. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

ter rhetorically; to deliver; to recite; as, to pronounce an oration. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you. Shak.

To favor; to render successful. "Prosper thou our handiwork." Bk. of Common Prayer. All things concur toprosper our design. Dryden.

Specifically, the Book of Psalms as printed in the Book of Common Prayer; among the Roman Catholics, the part of the Breviary which contains the Psalms arranged for each day of the week.

To expiate by a fine or forfeit. [Obs.] Not tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses. Shak.

To argue; to converse; to dispute. [Obs.] I pray you, think you question with the Jew. Shak.

the passions; to quiet clamors or disorders; to quiet pain or grief. Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace. Shak.

; result; scope. And on the left hand, hell, With long reach, interposed. Milton. I am to pray you not to strain my speech To grosser issues, nor to larger reach Than to suspicion. Shak.

One whose distinctive office is to read prayers in a church.

t variance; as, to reconcile persons who have quarreled. Propitious now and reconciled by prayer. Dryden. The church [if defiled] is interdicted till it be reconciled [i.e., restored to sanctity] by the bishop. Chaucer. We pray you . . . be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. v. 20.

To reflect; to ponder. [Obs.] Praying all the way, and recording upon the words which he before had read. Fuller.

, in preparation for a public exhibition or exercise. Chaucer. In rehearsal of our Lord's Prayer. Hooker. Here's marvelous convenient place for our rehearsal. Shak. Dress rehearsal (Theater), a private preparatory performance of a drama, opera, etc., in costume.

To refuse to grant; as, to reject a prayer or request.