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Pray vs Amen - What's the difference?

pray | amen |

As a verb pray

is to petition or solicit help from a supernatural or higher being.

As an adverb pray

is please; used to make a polite request.

As an interjection amen is

.

pray

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To petition or solicit help from a supernatural or higher being.
  • Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca.
  • To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
  • (religion) to communicate with God for any reason.
  • (obsolete) To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I know not how to pray your patience.

    Derived terms

    * prayer * pray in aid

    Adverb

    (-)
  • please; used to make a polite request.
  • pray silence for…
  • * 1816 , (Jane Austen), , Volume 1 Chapter 8
  • "Pray , Mr. Knightley," said Emma, who had been smiling to herself through a great part of this speech, "how do you know that Mr. Martin did not speak yesterday?"
  • * Charles Dickens, , 1841:
  • Pray''' don’t ask me why, '''pray''' don’t be sorry, '''pray don’t be vexed with me!
  • * Frederick Marryat, , 1845:
  • Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us dreadfully.
  • * 1892 , (Arthur Conan Doyle),
  • Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue your most interesting statement.
  • * 2013 , Martina Hyde, Is the pope Catholic?'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 September 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/20/is-pope-catholic-atheists-gay-people-abortion]
  • He is a South American, so perhaps revolutionary spirit courses through Francis's veins. But what, pray , does the Catholic church want with doubt?

    amen

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • At the end of religious prayers: so be it.
  • * 1997 , Contemporary American religion: an ethnographic reader :
  • Frequently "Amen" or Baha'u'l-Abha could be heard during devotions
  • * 1662 , Book of Common Prayer :
  • Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen .
  • * KJV, Nehemiah 5:13:
  • Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen , and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise. — Nehemiah 5:13, KJV
  • * KJV, Psalm 72:18-19:
  • Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen', and ' Amen .
  • At the end of a creed or in Koranic and Biblical translations: truly, verily.
  • * 2006 , The Islamic Traditions of Cirebon: Ibadat and Adat Among Javanese Muslims, page 103
  • Throughout the praying the audience responds repeatedly with Amen .
  • * Rhemish Translation, John 3:5:
  • Amen', ' amen , I say to thee, except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.
    At the end of surah Fatiha, you should say amen .

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • An expression of strong agreement.
  • * 1999 May, Matt Groening, “Hell Is Other Robots”, Futurama , season 1, episode 9
  • Fry:'' Bender's stupid religion is driving me nuts! / ''Leela: Amen !

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An instance of saying ‘amen’.
  • * 2006 , Evault Boswell, The Iron Mountain Baby
  • A chorus of amens rang out across the audience.
  • A title of Christ; the Faithful One (especially with reference to Revelation 3:14)
  • * 1611 , — Revelation 3:14, KJV
  • And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen , the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To say Amen.
  • The whole congregation amened in unison.

    Anagrams

    * * * * * * English responses ----